


Edward and the Real Boy

by mrgoldsdearie



Category: Gotham (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Anal Fingering, Anal Sex, Child Abuse, Dark Comedy, Delusions, Depression, Dry Humping, Eventual Smut, Exposure therapy, Gotham AU, Hallucinations, Loneliness, M/M, Masturbation, Mental Health Issues, Mental therapy, Oral Sex, Oral Sex with a Love Doll, Past Child Abuse, Sex Doll, Smut, Suicidal Thoughts, Suicide Attempt, Therapy Session, agalmatophilia, lars and the real girl au, sex doll!Oswald, sex in wheelchair, sex with doll, sexual hallucinations
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-04-13
Updated: 2018-08-13
Packaged: 2018-10-18 13:00:26
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 8
Words: 45,769
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10617417
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mrgoldsdearie/pseuds/mrgoldsdearie
Summary: Nygmobblepot: Lars and the Real Girl AU - Edward Nygma can’t help but be nervous about tonight. Tonight he meets his new friend Oswald Cobblepot. Who just so happens to be a sex doll.





	1. Arrival

**Author's Note:**

> I'm just so happy to be finally working on this AU. I wanted to write it for a while, but for a different ship and someone had beat me to that. But I have it for nygmob now and I’m excited about it. This story will not be for everyone and I advise that you take all warnings into consideration before reading. As I stated in the ratings this story will have sexual content, but it’s really centered around Edward’s mental illness, loneliness, and his inability to connect with people. The sex with the doll will be fun, but that's not what this story is about. I'm anxious and excited to hear from those who read this chapter. Pease, please let me know what you think. Happy reading! (❁´▽`❁)*✲ﾟ*

## Part One: Arrival

 

_“Ed?”_

The gentlest voice he’s ever heard.

_“Edward?”_

It's the handsome voice he's been graced with every morning for the past month.

_“Edward Nygma, wake up.”_

His deep brown eyes fly open and with a shy smile, he gazes upon a gorgeous image beside him. “Oswald…”, he whispers softly and kisses the cold freckled cheek of the one laying next to him. “I love it when you wake me up.”

_“You know I miss you when you're sleeping.”_

“I know you do and I miss you too, but I always see you in my dreams.”

_“I do?”_

“All the time.” He scoots closer and rests his head on the still chest of the one sharing his bed. “I’m almost never without you there, but I can't feel you. It always makes me miss touching you,” he says, wrapping his arm tighter around the torso, gluing himself to the one he cares for. The one who care for him.

_“I adore the ways you love cuddling with me, so fucking clingy."_

Edward chuckles as his only reply. He cherishes Oswald's snark.

_"And you know I could hold you all day, but you're going to be late for work.”_

“I won't be late if you don't worry about cooking breakfast for me—” Edward caresses his hand over the other's black silk pajama shirt— “and we can spend the extra time in bed together.”

_“Mmm…. I like the way you think, Mr. Nygma.”_

“And I treasure the way you stroke my hair.” Edward scratches his scalp and combs his hand through his hair before continuing the morning snuggle.

_“It's always so soft, especially when it's curly like this.”_

“I can wear it curly today just for you.”

_“I'd like that. You're going to look exceptionally beautiful.”_

Edward smiles and lifts his head. Oswald always says the dearest things to him. “Don't forget that Tabitha is coming to pick you up later. She said something about you—” he squints, slowly shaking his head to remember— “helping them with the club?”

_“Thank you for reminding me. I nearly forgot.”_

“You're welcome.” Edward presses his lips where his head once laid and kisses down the silk covered body.

_“Ah!.... What are you doing?”_

A breathy laugh escapes from Edward's lips, as he continues making his way further down the bed. “What we’re both thinking,” he says between his affectionate actions.

_“And how do you know what I'm thinking?”_

“I don't.” He pulls the blanket over his head and puts himself between the others legs. “I'm just hoping we’re thinking the same thing.” Underneath the cover of the olive green comforter, Edward draws down the black silk pants.

_“As presumptuous as that may be, Eddie, you’re not wrong.”_

“Good….” Edward fills his warm, damp, mouth.

_“Oh, gods!.... You're getting so much better at this....”_

##  *****

##  *****

##  *****

##  *****

 

_[One month earlier]_

Edward Nygma stands tall— his height towering over almost everyone in the captain’s office— with a thick stack of files clutched against his chest.

His mind, normally running like a hamster on its wheel, is oddly unable to focus on the meeting this morning. Every day his attention span has slowly declined.

He stares at the question mark written on the chalkboard behind the captain’s desk, wanting nothing more but to march up to that chalkboard and remove the incorrect marking from existence. The sentence it's adorned to isn’t even a question. Why is it there?

He thinks about it. About lifting his foot to take the first step towards the desk. What could anyone do? They couldn’t do a damn thing. It shouldn’t be there, to begin with.

Edward looks down at his scuffed brown leather shoes and he shakes the thought out of his head. _“What’s the point?... What’s the point of any of this?”_ , he ponders and lifts his head, taking a deep breath. He tries to pay more attention to the ongoing meeting, but the tick to remove the mark isn’t far behind.

He zones in on some of the words flying out from Captain Essen’s painted lips, but it all sounds like random mumbling. Why can’t he give this meeting his full attention? It has to be that damn mark searing into his skin…. No, that's nothing but a distraction from what's really eating at him.

Edward slowly starts to ease his foot forward, but he stops himself. Using the wrong punctuation on a blackboard in front of several cops, a doctor and a forensics technician isn’t that big of a fucking deal. So why is he bothered by it so goddamn much?... Anxiety.

“Nygma!”, Detective Harvey Bullock barks at the resident forensic scientist.

That piercing voice is like a thousand needles pricking into Edward’s spine, causing him to jerk from his daze of grammar revulsion. The question mark remaining in his peripheral vision.

“The Captain’s been trying to get your attention,” Harvey adds in his sharp, smug, voice. “Come back and join us on earth, Nygma.”

Edward hates the way Harvey talks to him, rather, talks at him. Always so crude and emotionless. He can never find the courage to tell the detective how it makes him feel. Edward's much too shy for confrontation, especially with someone who has such a brazen personality.

He tightens his hold on the files against his chest and gives his attention to the captain. “I -- I'm sorry, ma'am,” Edward stutters, adjusting the glasses on his face. “What was the question?”

“It's okay,” Captain Essen assures him. “Just tell us what you found.”

He takes pause, sorting through the mental files in his head, trying to remember which case she's speaking of. “Umm….” He cuts his eyes away and it suddenly comes back to him. The case of the two bodies dumped in the park two weeks apart. “They're the same,” he instantly spat out, only giving the room full of cops half of the information they needed.

Essen sighs, pinching the bridge of her nose. “What's the same, Edward?”

Several riddles for the detectives to solve to gain their answer creeps into Edward's mind, but he chooses not to share them with his colleagues. He isn't much in the mood to have his words dismissed and once again become the laughing stock of the Gotham City Police Department…. No, not today at least…. Not the day of all days when he's meeting someone new.

“The bullets from both victims came from the same gun,” Edward announces, being quick and to the point. “You could be looking for one killer, not two.”

“Thank you, Edward,” Essen says with a nod and starts her— we’re going to get this sick bastard if it's the last thing we fucking do— speech.

Now that that's over, Edward’s mind is free to wander again and he glares back at the incorrect punctuation on the chalkboard. This time, it doesn't bother him as much as it did before. He uses it as a guide to help his mind drift and think about the one he has the pleasure of meeting tonight. Someone he's been waiting for, for an impeccably long time.

Edward hopes his friend is in town right now as he stands in this drab office. The unknown is very exciting. He imagines if they'll be just as attractive as in the pictures he's seen. He's spent every night this week gazing upon the images, wishing that the hand in the photo were wrapped around his own fingers. Even though he’s anxious about tonight and can feel fear crippling him already, he still can't wait to finally set eyes on his friend.

“Meeting dismissed,” the captain says.

Edward didn't hear a word of what was being said before, but he definitely heard the call to leave. He shuffles to the chalkboard and picks up the eraser, eliminating the offensive punctuation once and for all. “That was supposed to be a period,” he says with annoyance edging his voice.  

Essen and Bullock glare at him with ‘what the fuck’ plastered on their features and watch as Ed leaves just as fast as he marched to the board.

“He's a fucking wack-a-do,” Harvey huffs under his breath.

“No, Harvey,” the captain corrects him. “He's a good fucking forensics technician.”  

“Whatever you wanna call him, ma'am,” Harvey says as he salutes his commanding officer and struts out of the office to do as little actual police work as possible.

 

##  **~~~~~~~~**

As the day progresses, Edward spends the better part of it in his lab. No different than most days. He's always alone, never important to anyone unless they needed something from him, which always kinda bothered him. It made him feel as though he was being used, but he never let the emotions of their treatment show. Their neglect only made it easier for Edward to close off parts of himself.

How could it be so simple for everyone around him to make connections with each other and so difficult for him? No matter how hard he tried, everything he did rubbed someone the wrong way and he never understood why.

Edward had given up making friends at the GCPD less than a year ago. No one wanted to know the real Edward Nygma when he was willing to share who he was. Why should anyone have a chance to get know him now?

He feels as though the world has backed him up into a box of loneliness, forgotten all about him and left him to die. But Edward has had enough of the curl punishment and has decided to never feel alone again. He's hoping that the friend who's coming to visit can somehow bring him back to life. He's sick and tired of always feeling dead.

##  **~*~**

*knock-knock-knock*

The lab door opens and detective James Gordon enters, walking in on Edward measuring the distance of blood splatter from a kitchen knife.

“Hey, Ed,” Jim says, closing the door behind him.

“Jim.” Edward nods in his direction and continues splattering the synthetic blood on the white tarp cascading from the ceiling.

“Just came to see how you were doing.”

It isn't odd for Jim to check in on Edward from time to time. He's actually one of the few that have shown Ed any true respect.  

“And see if you wanted to have a few drinks with us tonight,” he adds, stepping up to the table in the center of the lab.

Edward pauses in mid swing and the blade slips from his hand to the floor. He's never this careless with his work, but the sudden invite has taken him completely by surprise. Never has he been asked to do anything, with anyone, in this entire department outside of the building. Why the change? There must be a catch.

“What was that you said?” He turns his head, peeking at Jim from over his shoulder. The detective’s expressions seem genuine and honest.

“Lee, Harv and a few of the others are going out for drinks tonight. I thought since there were so many of us getting together that we could invite you.”

A strange feeling hovers over Edward, causing his stomach to cramp. Always wanted to feel accepted as more than just a colleague at work. A friend. He would have loved to have gotten invitations such as this more often in the past, but that time has long since passed. For today at least. With Edward's friend coming to visit him tonight, he can't go out for drinks no matter how much he's waited for a moment like this.

“I must decline your invitation,” he finally answers, turning face to face with Jim, wiping the fake blood from his hands with a napkin he removed from his lab coat.

“That's okay, Ed. I just thought I'd ask.”

“It's n-n-not that I don't want to go,” Edward stammers, shuffling up to the table, his words sounding more pleading than he had liked.

“It's fine. Maybe you can come next time,” Jim says with a nod and casually turns away to make his leave.

“It's just that I'm meeting someone tonight.” The sentence flies out from Edward's mouth faster than he could think. He isn't sure why it's important to share the reason he can't join the get-together, but damn it feels good to say it out loud. “It's actually a date.”

Jim circles back, tipping his head slightly to the right. Edward had never seemed to show interest in anyone that way. Who’s the lucky person from the station to be Edward's companion tonight? He must know.

“A date?”, Jim echoes, sly expression etched on his face. It's always the quiet ones that surprise. The tall, lanky, bastard had to be putting the moves on someone behind his back. Jim thought he had a pretty good eye for spotting office romances since his relationship with Leslie Tomkins started out the same. “Who is she?”, he asks, folding his hands on the table between them, giving the forensics guy all of his attention.

Anxiety begins to cloud over Edward, causing his body to tremble. He can't remember the last time he's shared anything so personal with anyone else. He doesn't even remember the last time someone wanted to listen. “Umm—” he lowers his head slightly, eyes darting back and forth, expecting words of judgment for what he's about to say— “his name is Oswald and we met on the internet.”

Edward has always thought a certain kind of woman was his type and hadn't really considered questioning his sexuality until he met Oswald. A unique sensation had washed over him. It was new and exciting.

Jim’s eyes widen. Now he feels like a simple mind idiot. “Oh, I'm so sorry for assuming that you were…”

“No, it's okay,” he interrupts Jim. It was an innocent mistake after all. “I don't even know if I'm… Well… The thing -- the thing between Oswald and I just kinda -- kinda happened. We decided to meet to see if it was real.”

“I understand that,” Jim sounded sincere. He only wishes he hadn't made a fool of himself with his assumptions.

“Okay—” Ed straightens the glasses on the bridge of his nose, standing more erect— “good.” The reveal was a little satisfying, didn't anticipate that outcome.

“Well, I'm going to leave you to finish your work,” Jim says, stepping toward the exit. “The invite to join us tonight still stands—” opens the door— “in case you want Oswald to meet a few of your friends,” he adds with a kind smile and closes the door.

Edward glares at the door, eyebrows lowered. _“Odd choice of words…”_ , he thought. No one has ever considered him a friend. Was that a fucking joke?

He decides to push the entire conversation to the back of his mind, lingering on Jim’s intentions isn't what’s important. Edward turns back to the tarp hanging from the ceiling and picks up the knife he dropped earlier. The faster he finishes today's work, the quicker he can head home and prepare for the date.

 

##  **~~~~~~~~**

 

After making a stop to gather a few more ingredients for dinner and buying a nice bottle of white wine to serve alongside the halibut, (Edward has a feeling that Oswald loves the taste of fish) Edward arrives home to his apartment building. He rides the elevator up to the top floor and steps out, carrying the plastic bags at his sides. Down the long hallway and around the left corner sits Edward's loft, but he stops in his tracks once he makes that turn.

Edward gawks at the door at the end of the hallway. Not at the door exactly, but at the large wooden crate that rests against the wall.

Sharp volts of electricity shoot down his spine as he tries to musters up the courage to get his feet moving again. He takes a deep breath, sweat accumulating on his brow, and steps closer. Each one he takes makes his heart race.

Why is it abruptly so hard to breathe? Are the walls actually closing in around him?

Edward stops before the door, not giving the crate another glance as he urgently searches his pockets for the keys. Standing so close to the long, coffin-like, box scorches his flesh through his clothing.

His hands fumble with the locks and he nearly drops the keys, twice, but Edward manages to gain entry into his home. He hastily slithers inside like a slippery sea snake and slides the heavy metal door shut.

Edward rushes to the kitchen table and drops off the bags, then makes his way to the sink. His mouth is so dry and scratchy.

After choking down two coffee cups of water, Edward finally brings the hefty crate inside before anyone gets the idea to steal it. He does live in Gotham after all. The wood box is surprisingly easy to push around the loft and he carefully parks the crate next to the leather couch, then begins the preparations for tonight.  

##  **~*~**

An hour later, having a romantic fish dinner waiting to be cooked fresh upon Oswald's arrival and changing into his most dashing green suit (He tried on several suits before deciding on the perfect one for making a good first impression.) Edward peeks into the living room from behind the bathroom door, eyes fixed on the box. He has to get rid of it before the date, but he isn't quite ready to set sight on the contents inside.

“You can do this,” he says under his breath, slowly cracking the door wider. “Just toss away the embarrassing crate and everything will be fine.” He comes out from the safety of the bathroom and takes hold of the crowbar he had resting on top of the box.

Without hesitation, he's done enough of that already, Edward pries the top from the box, the nails squeaking as they release from the wood.

When he removes the top and leans it against the wall next to the bathroom, Edward turns to find the box filled with packing popcorn and a purple envelope resting on top. He picks up the envelope and reads the handwritten note that's folded inside. 

> _Hello, I’m Oswald Cobblepot and you have designed me to fulfill your sexual fantasies._
> 
> _Please feel free to use me anyway your heart desires. I promise you, I won't mind. I can handle anything your imagination creates._
> 
> _I've traveled a wide distance just to be here with you and I'm desperate to please only you. As long as we're together, you'll never be alone._

Edward crumples up the letter and tosses it over his right shoulder. These aren’t Oswald’s words. He would never write anything that trivial. The Oswald that Edward knows is a complex, emotional, being and a lot more than this letter describes.

He leans over the crate and his hand trembles as he submerges it into the packing popcorn and when he feels it, silky strands of hair, the anxiousness he felt instantly melts away. Edward closes his eyes and relishes in the sensation rasping through his fingers, reimagining the color of the threads; dark as a raven's feathers.

Still, under the cover of the fluffy packing material, Edward slowly grazes his fingertips over what feels to be eyelids, then a nose, plump lips and a chin. All molded from soft silicone.

“You have such fair skin,” Edward whispers and dip both hands into the box, pulling up the item from its sea of styrofoam. “You are a lot more than I presumed,” he says, setting eyes on his friend for the very first time.

Sitting up in the crate is a doll like no other, custom designed to Edward's preferences. Short black hair rests on top of the life-sized doll’s head with the greenest eyes that seem to change color in the light and a face sprinkled with freckles. Edward holds in his hand the most beautiful creation he's ever seen and he can't wait to meet the person inside.

Edward lifts the 5 foot 6-inch long doll from the crate and carries it to the couch like a groom would carry their spouse over the threshold. He rests the 135-pound frame on the couch and takes a step back to gain a better look.

The lifelike doll sits upright in its seat on its own, wearing nothing more than a pair of sexy purple lace panties and holding a riding crop with a leather penguin shaped whip.

“I'll take that if you don't mind.” He removes the whip from the doll’s hand as his eyes scale down to the doll’s lap. He can't help but notice the bulge in those lace panties. Curiosity begins to get the better of Edward and since Oswald hasn't arrived yet, he gives in to the temptation.

Edward slips two fingers between the elastic of the panties and pulls them away from the doll’s body, peeking down to find the whole package. “Oh my!”, Edward gasps. “You are a lot bigger than I…. Than I….” He blushes, unable to finish the statement, slapping the panties back against the doll’s silicone flesh.

Edward didn't pay much attention to the size of the doll’s cock the night he made his one and only purchase at the Stocks and Bondage’s online store. The doll’s size wasn't important. That evening was a particularly emotional night for Ed, having hit rock bottom with depression and loneliness. He can't remember what had brought him to that state or the website for that matter. He only knew he needed a friend, even if he had to buy one.

Edward takes Oswald’s riding crop to the nightstand by his bed and when he turns back to the couch the sex doll has vanished. Only a shivering drenched man sits in the doll's place. Edward's lonely and broken mind takes animation and he begins to hallucinate Oswald as real.

_“My apologies for the mess.” Oswald crosses his arms, hunching in the couch. “I thought I could get here before the rain started.”_

“No, it's alright.” Edward's cheeks bloom a rosy tinge. He hadn't expected Oswald to strip his wet clothes in the living room. He can see that his friend has no shame. “You're actually a little early. I was just cleaning everything up.”

_“I can see that.” Oswald smiles and looks down at all the packing popcorn on the floor. “So what came in the box?”, he asks arching the left brow, gazing at Edward with an assuming glare. Sassy little bastard._

Edward clears his throat. “Nothing of any importance,” he chokes and hastily cleans the packing material from the floor, hurling them into the crate. “I'll get this out of the way and give you a change of clothes.”

_“I'd like that, Ed. Thank you,” he says shaking the rain out of his hair, water droplets falling on the couch. “It's kinda cold in here.”_

Edward pushes the crate into the bathroom. He’ll completely get rid of it tomorrow. “I'll turn up the heat for you as well,” he says, flicking the switch on the thermostat. “Is that better?”

_“Yes, that's a little better, thank you.”  He shifts in the couch. “It could be even better if I had some clothes,” he says teasingly. “Now I'm feeling just a tad bit exposed. This is my first time meeting you and here I am sitting on your couch in my underwear.” Buries his face in his hands. “Embarrassing.”_

Edward walks up behind the couch and removes the throw blanket that was resting on the back. “No, Oswald, please don't feel embarrassed.” He drapes the blanket over the doll's shoulders, reassuring Oswald that he has no reason to feel shy or embarrassed around him. He wants them to be comfortable with each other and to say or do anything they please without judgment. Being free with another is a foreign concept to Edward, but he's willing to try. He's willing to do anything for Oswald. “I’m the one that knew company was coming over and my place is still a wreck,” he adds, stepping in front of the couch. A smile curls on Edward's face as he takes in the sight of Oswald wrapped in the blanket and he's gifted with a return grin from his delusion. They share this brief moment with each other before Edward hastily turns away and rushes to his closet. Not only needing to collect Oswald a change of clothes but also needing to break their connection. They haven't spoken for long and the yearning to graze his hand over Oswald's cheek shouldn't have crept over him so suddenly.

_“Don't forget that you had a coffin shaped box resting in the middle of your living room,” Oswald announces, wrapping the blanket tighter around himself. “Which, I must admit, was a bit morbid.”_

Edward pauses and peeks back at Oswald, confusion plastered on his face.

_“I'm fucking with you, Edward,” he teases._

Edward's face lights up and he truly laughs out loud for the first time in ages. “I'm really happy you're here,” he says after taking an instant to regain his breath and pulls an old green sweater with a pair of black slacks from the closet.

_“I'm happy you invited me.”_

“How long are you staying?”, he asks carrying the clothes to the sex doll on the couch.

_“As long as you need me.”_

Edward's face beams brightly once again. “Good.” He rests the clothes on the doll's lap. “I know these aren't your style—” sits on the wood coffee table in front of Oswald— “and that they're a little big, but you're welcome to them and anything else.” He unconsciously removes the sweater and pants from their hangers, dropping the plastic to the floor. He imagines Oswald dressing himself, but in reality, Nygma does all the work for the doll.

_“That's very kind of you. Edward.” Oswald slips the sweater over his head. “I still can't believe my stuff was stolen at the airport.” Folds the extra long sleeves up his arm. “Who the hell takes a man's cane?”_

Edward struggles a little with pulling the pants up on the doll, but he manages to get them over Oswald's perfectly sculpted lace clad ass. “I don't know, Oswald. I'll never understand it.” He retakes his seat at the coffee table after tucking the sweater into the pants and buttoning the slacks. “I remember you told me about the accident.”

_“That car crash really shattered my ankle.”_

“Maybe you should stay off of your feet for a while.”

_“And how do you suggest I do that, Ed?”_

Edward stands and returns to the closet to collect an item he's stashed away just for Oswald's arrival.

_“Edward,” Oswald gasps with surprise. He hadn't expected Edward to be so prepared. “You'd really push me around in a wheelchair?”_

“Of course I would.” He unfolds the chair and locks the latches in place. “I want you to be comfortable during your stay.” Pushes the wheelchair to the couch.

_“You've thought of everything.”_

Edward lifts the doll from the couch and as he carefully rests him in the wheelchair, the doll's soft silicone hand brushes across Edward's cheek in the exchange, and his eyes broaden with astonishment causing him to drop the doll in the seat.

_“I’m sorry, Ed,” Oswald says as his ass crashes down in the wheelchair. “I just couldn't help myself.” He knew he fucked up._

“No, n-n-no, it's okay.” Edward isn’t quite sure who he's trying to convince more, himself or the 135 pounds of silicone. He shakes the confusion out of his head and continues taking care of his inanimate friend. Edward lays the blanket from the couch across Oswald's legs and arranged the doll's hands crossed in its lap. “I liked it,” he confesses, immediately hating himself for admitting those three little words and he blushes from ear to ear with uncertainty.

_“How awkward would it be if you didn't.”_

A breathy laugh escapes from Edward's lips and he takes ahold of the handles of the wheelchair. How does Oswald have the power to make him feel more at ease when all he truly feels is hate for himself? No one has ever been able to break through this side of him so quickly. “Well, I hope you're hungry,” he changes the subject, doesn't want to mention that he thought of touching Oswald in the same manner moments before— or, the fact that his friend has actually helped him to feel more confident in these few short moments than anyone else had done in his entire life. “And I hope you like fish.”

_“I happen to love fish.”_

“Good.” He pushes the doll towards the kitchen. “Because I have an unbelievable halibut dish waiting just for us.”

_“I look forward to it.”_

##  **~*~**

With an exquisite fish dinner in their stomachs, well, only Edward's since he helped Oswald finish a small section of his meal, they sit at the piano by the large windows which almost span across the entire loft. Edward plays half of the chords on the keys, hearing Oswald playing the other half in his head. Both variations come together in sync as a beautiful melody of music that only Edward can enjoy.

_“What an amazing night,” Oswald says, resting his head on Edward's shoulder after their final ballot together._

The doll has actually just tipped over.

“It has been incredible.” Edward leans into Oswald a little more. He always hoped for tonight to be an unforgettable one.

_“I can't believe you were afraid to meet me.”_

“Well, I can be a bit shy.” He rests his head over Oswald's. “But I don't feel that way with you.” Wraps his arms around to doll's back.

_“It makes me happy that you can be yourself with me.”_

“You make me feel like a real person.” He closes the lid over the piano keys, haven't felt this alive and welcomed in ages. He starts to think that maybe the night doesn't have to end just yet. Maybe they could have a little more fun together. “I was invited out to go drinking with a few people from work. They still might be at the bar,” he suggests, lifting his head from Oswald’s and helps the doll sit up straight. “They would love to meet you.”

_“I can go for a few drinks.”_

“I probably wouldn't feel up to going if you weren't here.”

_“Yes, you would, Ed.”_

“I don't know. I'd like to think I would, but I'm not sure.”

_“Well, let's find out. We don't have to stay long. Just have a few drinks, mingle for a while, and leave.”_

“I think I can do that.” He kisses his friend on his, surprisingly, warm freckled cheek. The kiss happened so suddenly, but he didn't regret it after the action was done and the faint giggle that fell from his hallucination’s pink lips made his bold move all the more worthwhile. He would have never done anything like that with anyone else. “Thank you, Oswald.”

“ _For what?”_

“Being very supportive.” He rests his left hand on the doll's thigh, hoping that he hasn't pushed things too far. “I needed someone like you in my life.”

_Oswald smiles, tipping back into Edward. “That's why I'm here.”_


	2. More Than Just Friends

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Edward takes Oswald to the bar to meet a few of his co-workers and the strange couple isn't welcomed with open arms.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Gosh! I finished it! Thank you @riddlerbird for helping me break Edward. Without your help, the first scene would have lacked the impact I wanted. It was important for me to get it right. I've put myself in a bubble where I've only been writing fluff and smut lately. (It's my happy place....okay!). So this first scene was something I needed help with and something I needed the readers to know. I'm so happy you were there for me. 
> 
> I hope all who reads this chapter enjoys, and if you like, let me know what you thought of it. Happy reading! (◍•ᴗ•◍)♡ ✧*。

## Part Two: More Than Just Friends

__  
_ [one month ago]_

The computer screen flashes as a multitude of pop-up windows litter the browser. Edward couldn't care less as he sits in his loft watching the rain cascade from the dark clouds blanketing the midnight sky, tears of loneliness staining his face.

His day of work at the GCPD was no different from any other. After having to work alongside thick headed ignoramuses, such as Harvey Bullock, the entirety of the day has left Edward emotionally drain and mentally dead. Feeling like an outcast has become the norm and Edward has reached his breaking point. He will no longer accept the daily ridicule, countless judgemental glares, and the whispers behind his back of how much of a freak they all think he is. Sticks and stones may hurt most people, leaving them broken and crawling for help, but for Edward, words have a lot more power and have always damaged him more than any stick could ever do.

The time in his life for putting up with emotional abuse will end tonight.

He's tried fitting in, but lying to himself to make others see him as a real person has made Edward physically ill. His quirky personally, as some of his colleagues have put it, has pushed others away and made it difficult for him to build genuine friendships his entire life. And he never understood why.

With his mind unable to focus on the simplest tasks and his self-hatred boiling over, Edward has found himself falling further and further down a self-destructive path. He can no longer live in a world that refuses to accept him the way he is and he's going to finally do something about it.

Edward's right leg shakes restlessly under the kitchen table, as his hold on a bottle of sleeping pills tightens.

Is this the night? Will tonight be the night when Edward Nygma takes his last breath? These are the just a few of the questions bouncing around the forensic analyst’s confused, hindered, and frightened mind. The little white pill bottle clutched in his grip is oddly comforting and he tries desperately to stay focused on that feeling, but he fails as morbid thoughts of his decaying body suddenly clouds his mind once again.

Edward has contemplated taking his own life before and it isn't the first time he has tried. Anxiety, depression, and loneliness have beaten him down this familiar path.

Would anyone miss him? Edward doesn't believe it's likely. Why would someone who’s continually shunned and pushed aside ever be missed? People like him are never that important.

He turns the bottle over in his jittery hand, the pills inside shake like a child's rattle, as he brushes his thumb around the closed bottle top. “No one would ever notice that I’m gone,” he mutters under his breath, chest constricting with his rapid heartbeat. Each hollowed breath getting harder and harder to take. This loft is suffocating. “No one would even look for me.” He wipes his runny nose on the sleeve of his checkered shirt and opens the bottle. He gazes down upon the little blue pills which look like pieces of candy. They call out for him to swallow them so they can to whisk him off on his final venture to a place where loneliness and pain don't exist.

He fills his hand with the pills, 20 maybe 30 find their place in his sweaty palm, and he can't help but think that that's just enough. Edward feels nothing, only the powerful sensation of freedom as he inches his hand closer to his mouth.

The time has come. The suffering will all be over soon.

Never ending tears flow down his cheeks and Edward quickly wipes them away. Why can't he stop crying? He doesn't want to die with tears in his eyes. He spills the pills in his hand onto the kitchen table and tries to take control of himself. He grips at his knees, steadying his breathing, and rocks back and forth in the chair. “Stop it!”, he yells at himself, snapping his head to the right as if to look at someone standing next to him. “Stop fucking crying!” He fists his hands in his hair, breathing heavily with his eyes closed tightly. The room feels as though it's spinning around him. “I can't even die the way I want,” he cries out in agony, body trembling uncontrollably.

The flashing lights of advertisements continue to appear on Edward’s computer screen, illuminating the darkness around him. The lights of the screen creep through Edward's closes eyelids and the irritating flashes catch his attention.

He lowers his hands from his hair and sniffs as he watches more pop-ups fill the screen. So this is what it all rendered down to; a broken man and his haywire computer. Since he can't stop the tears from falling from his eyes, Edward decides to close all the windows. His last humanly act on this unforgiving world is to prevent his computer from getting a virus. _Pathetic._

As he fights through the digital windows to achieve the ultimate goal of returning to the home screen, another ad flashes before him.

Why has this happened tonight? Edward has always kept his computer in the finest condition and it's never been infected by a bug. So these random pop-ups are highly unusual, but this new ad, in particular, is quite intriguing.

> _Never be alone again._
> 
> _Never be alone again._
> 
> _Never be alone again._

A sultry female voice repeats over and over from the full-screen advertisement, flashing those very words with an image of what appears to be a life-sized doll.

In his normal state of mind, he would never give this ad no more than just a glance, but he finds himself reading the small print. 

> _Stocks and Bondage real sex dolls are handmade with the finest medical grade silicone. Their adjustable skeleton frame allows you to move them easily. With unique features such as freckles or moles, your real doll is truly one of a kind. They are the most realistic, and anatomically correct, doll you will ever see. With just a click, you could be on your way to creating the girl, or boy, of your dreams and have them delivered right to your door._
> 
> _Click Here To Order!_

In his haze of self-hatred and suicidal thoughts, Edward starts to think maybe there is hope for him. His life doesn't have to end right now. Maybe this doesn't have to be his lowest point. Maybe he doesn't have to be alone. Maybe he can make someone to spend his life with.

This may be an unorthodox idea, but it just might be exactly what could help him…. Save him.

Edward picks up one of the pills from the pile spilled on the tabletop and places it between his lips. He bites down to crush the chalky pill with his teeth and takes a sip of water from the lab beaker next to the computer. Though he won't be entering an eternal slumber tonight, he still needs assistance with getting some sleep.  

Edward scoots his chair closer to the table and lays his hands on the laptop keyboard. He clicks on the link to the real doll store and places an order before the medication drifts him to sleep.

##  ***  
** *  
*  
*

_[present day]_

Edward stands outside the bar where his colleagues frequently lounge and his hands begin to sweat as he grips onto the handles of the wheelchair. “Should we really be here?”, he thought to himself, doesn’t want Oswald to know of his self-doubt. He could just take Oswald back home and spend the rest of the night alone together. He doesn’t have to make such a bold move as this.

_“Edward—” Oswald turns in his chair, gazing his sparkling green eyes up at his friend— “it’s beginning to rain again and I don’t have my umbrella,” he says, a little alarmed by the blank expression on Edward’s face. “Are you alright, Ed?”_

Edward doesn’t reply to the questions from his hallucination. His eyes remain fixed on the door handle to the bar.

_“Are we going inside or not?”, Oswald asks._

“Yes, yes…”, Edward snaps out of his daze, finally answering the sex doll’s question. “We are going in.”

_“We don’t have to if you don’t want.”_

“I do want too.” He leans over the chair, their cheeks touch as he ruffles with the blanket covering the doll’s legs. Neither of them cares about being in such close proximity. They’re actually beginning to enjoy each other’s touch.

Oswald had insisted, back at the loft, that he didn’t need to borrow one of Edward’s coats. The rain had stopped when they left to go to the bar and they both didn’t think it would return. Edward is relieved that Oswald kept the throw blanket from the couch over his legs because now his friend is shivering like a leaf.

“I promised you a good time and that’s what we’re going to have,” Edward adds, tucking the doll’s hands under the blanket. “You still want to go, right?”

_“Of course I do, but I don’t want you feeling uncomfortable.”_

Edward turns his head to Oswald, squinting at the side of the doll’s freckled cheek. “You care if I’m comfortable or not?”, he asks with disbelief.

_Oswald looks to Ed and their noses brush over each other as he turns his head._

Well, in Edward’s mind this is what happened.

_“Yes, Edward…”, Oswald answers honestly._

Edward gasps and suddenly stands up straight, heart beating out of his chest. “I’m sorry—” he lays his right hand on his chest, feeling the rapid thumping— “but that just took me a little by surprise.” He catches his breath. “I’m not – I’m not used to that.”

_“Get used to it, Eddie, because I'm not going to stop caring about you.”_

A timid smile flashes on Edward's face and he rests his hands on Oswald's shoulder, gifting his friend with a light massage. “Thank you, Oswald,” he says, imaging Oswald placing a hand over his own. Edward can feel the phantom touch of his friend.

_“You don't have to thank me for that,” Oswald says hushed, caressing his fingertips over Edward's hand. “I want to care about you.”_

Oswald wants to do all he can to help Edward. This is the reason why he exists, to begin with.

_“Can we please go inside now?” He tucks his hand back under the blanket. “You promised me a drink.”_

##  **~*~**

 

The beer tavern roars with boisterous laughter, the clacking of Q-balls starting a fresh game of pool, and the air is thick with a mixture of smoke and booze.

“Listen, Jim, I can drink you or anyone else in this bar under the table and still be able to solve a double homicide at 6 am in the morning,” Harvey Bullock slurs out almost every word. He shoots back the last drink of Irish whiskey from the glass and suddenly loses his train of thought when his eyes fall on Edward Nygma walking toward their table, pushing a wheelchair. “What's he doing here?”

Jim peeks back from over his right shoulder. “Oh, I invited him and his date to join us,” he answers plainly.

Harvey leans over the table, inching in closer to Jim Gordon’s face. “You invited that nut to join us?”, he asks, offended by the thought. “And you mean to tell me that he actually has a date?”

“Look, Harv—” Jim leans in closer too— “Edward's been moping around the station half dead lately, and I know that he can be a little off, but he seems like he needs a friend right now,” he says in a lower tone, speaking honestly to his best friend. “So, yeah—” he shrugs— “ I reached out to him. He's one of us too and we should show him a little more respect.”

“You can respect him all you want you, Jim, but when he starts creeping you out, don't come crawling to me about it.”

“Crawling to who about what?”, Edward says, standing behind Harvey's chair. Oswald's wheelchair is parked directly behind him and his body obstructs anyone at the table from getting a full view of the doll.

“Jesus, Nygma,” Harvey flinches, startled by the science geek slithering up behind him. “You can't just sneak up on people.”

“I wasn't sneaking. You saw me coming,” Edward replies, standing tall with his hands behind his back.

Harvey’s face flushes crimson with anger and he opens his mouth ready to roast the bony freak, but Jim intervenes before Harvey manages to spit out a salty word.

“Let's just drop it, Harv—” Jim pours Harvey another mug of beer and scoots it before him— “and have a drink.”

Harvey snatches up the mug and takes a large gulp.

“I'm happy you could join, Ed,” Jim says genuinely, changing the subject.

“I'm happy you invited us.” A large toothy grin stretches on Edward's face. “I love saying that…. Us.” He steps to the side of Oswald's wheelchair allowing all to view his new friend. He leans down to Oswald's chair, draping his right arm around the doll's shoulder. “Everybody, I'd like you to meet my good friend, Oswald Cobblepot.” He looks at the doll. “Oswald, this is everybody.”

Harvey chokes and spits his beer out on the table, while Jim stares with his eyes bugged out of his skull.

_“Boyfriend, Edward,” Oswald corrects him._

“What?”, Edward questions, brow raised high with a surprised grin on his face.

_“You introduced me as a good friend, when in fact, I'm your boyfriend.”_

“Oswald….” He says with a chuckle stuck in the back of his throat. “We just met.”

_“We only just met in person, but we’ve been talking forever online.”_

“You're right about that.” Edward removes the doll’s hand from under the blanket and he laces their fingers together. “But did you really have to bring it up now?” Edward blushes. This is a conversation to be having more in private.

_“Yes, Edward—” Oswald's hold on Edward's hand tightens— “because you didn't introduce me correctly.”_

“You're right—” he kisses the back of the doll's hand— “and I'm sorry.”

_“It's okay. We all make mistakes, Eddie.”_

“What the hell is going on here!” Harvey suddenly yelps, unable to sit back and watch Edward's insane, one-sided, conversation with what he thinks is a sex doll.

Edward flinched and quickly stands up straight, face redden with embarrassment.

Jim blinks, trying to wrap his head around what's he's witnessing. “That's a doll in a wheelchair,” he states the obvious.

“Holly, fuck!”, Harvey blurts out. “You see this shit too? Thank god I'm not imagining things.”

“Os-Oswald isn't a doll—” Edward pushes up the glasses on his face, hands jittering with anxiety— “he's a man. My boyfriend, actually,” he says timidity. “Why can't you see him for who he is?” Edward isn't quite sure if that last statement was about Oswald or himself.

Harvey bursts out in an uncontrolled laughter. “I always knew it! I knew you were a wacko—” points at Edward— “who belonged in Arkham. I've been saying it for years!” He takes another large gulp of beer before continuing his rampage. “You fuck that thing don't you?” He looks back at some of his friends laughing at the table. “I bet he fucks it…. And here I was thinking he had a date with an actual person. I should have known better.”

Edward's body trembles and his eyes begin to water as it becomes harder for him to take breaths. His chest feels as though it's caving in on itself. Each chuckle or raunchy comment from those at the table deepens another knife in his back. He feels like dropping dead on the dirty bar floor.

But, suddenly, Edward senses a ghostly tug of the hand still entwined with the doll’s and circles around to Oswald in the chair.

_“Eddie…”, he says as Edward's leans down face to face with him. “That dipshit isn't your friend is he?”, Oswald asks, snarling through his teeth. No one insults Edward, especially in front of him._

“No. The mindless gorilla isn't my friend.”  

_“Good. Because I'm gonna kill him.” Oswald tries to stand from the wheelchair, but Edward holds him back. “Let me go, Ed… My leg doesn't hurt right now, so I'm gonna shove it up his ass!”_

Jim watches as Edward appears to be calming down the doll for some reason and the seriousness of this entire situation hits him all at once. Edward isn't putting on some kind of show, he's living in a delusion.

“Hey! Hey!”, Jim barks at everyone snickering at the table. “Stop laughing. This isn't funny,” he orders and the ruckus at the table begins to subside. “This man is ill and we shouldn't be laughing at him or cracking dirty jokes. We should be doing what we can to help him.”

Edward doesn't hear most of what Jim has said, Oswald's fiery rage has taken his attention. But he does notice that the laughing has stopped and that draws his, and Oswald's, attention back to the table.

Jim stands from his chair and steps past Edward, not giving the lab guy a glance as he makes his way to the doll in the wheelchair. He isn't quite sure how this is going to work and he feels embarrassed for making the first move, but acknowledging Oswald is the right thing to do. “So—” Jim clears his throat and extends his hand to the doll’s— “I'm James Gordon…. Jim…. And it's a pleasure to meet you, Oswald.” He stands like a fool almost expecting the doll to give him physical contact. Actually, he isn't quite sure if he should touch it. Jim cuts his eyes at Edward, and the taller man nods slightly at him with a small grin. He takes these subtle gestures as a sign that it's okay to touch the doll.

Jim Gordon takes the doll by the right hand and gives it a firm friendly shake.

_“Well, it's nice to know not all of you cops are barbarians.”_

“Oswald….”, Edward says with a smirk and steps next to Oswald's chair, falling more and more in love with his boyfriend’s sass.

_“It's only true.”_

“Indeed it is.”

Jim dodges his eyes between the two, unsure of who to address or what's being discussed between them. “Did I do something wrong?”

“Certainly not, Jim,” Edward assures him. “Oswald likes you.”

“Oh…. Okay…. Good….” Jim breathes a sigh of relief. The last thing he wanted was to embarrass Edward further. “I like -- I like Oswald too.”

“Can you believe this sack of horse-shit,” Harvey gripes to those still sitting at the table. It's one thing for Edward to be out of his mind and it's another to drag his best friend along with him. Harvey feels the need to save Jim’s sanity. Whatever’s happening to Nygma shouldn't be spread around or thought of as normal. He hops up from his chair and slaps his hand on Jim's right shoulder, turning Jim around to face him. “You're really not going along with his fucked up fantasy, are you, Jim?”, he asks, hoping with all that he holds dear that Jim hasn't fallen off the deep end.

“Yes, Harv,” he answers truthfully. “It's the right thing to do until we can find a better way to help him. He really needs us right now…. And honestly—” he leans in closer to Harvey and speaks a little softer— “some of this might be our fault with the way most of us treat the guy.”

“No, Jim.” He digs his finger into his friend's chest. “You can live in looneyville all you want, but I'm not gonna be a part of it.”

Jim peeks down at the finger in his chest and politely removes it. “You're better than this, Harvey.”

“I am, but not for him.” Harvey removes his coat and hat from the back of his chair. “You know, whatever's going on with him is his problem.” He swings his coat around his shoulders. “You shouldn't make it yours.”

“Harvey don't be that way.”

“You should leave with me—” he rests his hat on his head— “and get far away from this while you still can.”

“You know I can't do that.”

“Why not?”

“I invited these men to a drink and I'm gonna have one with them.”

Harvey huffs, “You're unbelievable, Jim.” He storms towards the door, shoulder checking Edward on his way out.

All but a few people follow Harvey out the door. Having a drink with a life-sized sex doll is far too strange and uncomfortable for them.

Disappointed for his peers showers over Jim. These people help to save lives every day, why can't they try to save one in their own home. Jim shakes his head and sighs, turning back to Edward and the doll. He's going to try to turn the ugliness of the night around the best he can. He wants Edward to feel comfortable while he tries to figure out the best way to get Edward professional help.

“So—” Jim claps his hands together and rubs them— “what are you men drinking tonight?”

Edward smiles, feeling a rush of acceptance wash over him. So this is what it feel like. “Umm… Just -- just a club soda for me—” he licks his lips and unlocks the latches to Oswald's chair— “I'm driving tonight. But Oswald -- Oswald likes wine.”

“A wine drinker, I see.” Jim steps up behind Oswald's wheelchair and takes hold of the handles, pushing him up to the table. “I'm not into wine much myself, but I know there's a really good merlot served here.” He parks the chair at the table and takes the seat next to the doll.

Edward follows suit, taking the empty seat on the other side of the wheelchair.

“So—” Jim gestures to the barmaid to come take their drink order— “where did you two meet again?”

 _“The internet,”_ Oswald and Edward both answer in unison. _“Everyone meets on the internet now.”_

##  **~*~**

 

Back at the loft, after a surprisingly nice time with Jim and a few of the others who stayed at the bar, and helping the doll drink half of his wine, Edward is a bit buzzed and just a little turned on. He sits straddle on Oswald's lap in the wheelchair, gently stroking his hands in the doll's soft charcoal hair.

“You defended me tonight, Oswald.” He wraps the doll’s arms around his waist. “No one has ever done that.”

_“Of course I did, Eddie.” He slides his hands up Edward's back. “I don't want anyone to hurt you.”_

Edward tilts into Oswald and brushes their noses together, feeling his own warm breath bounce off the doll's silicone flesh. “I'm not used to being protected. It's such… It's such….”

_“A turn on?”_

“Yes, that.” He gently rubs his fingertips over the doll's soft and full bottom lip. “I don't feel this way often.”

_“Neither do I.”_

“And I've never had sex with anyone.”

_“I'm the same way too.”_

“And I don't want you to be upset if I don't go all the way tonight.”

_“That's okay, Eddie. We don't have to do anything at all,” Oswald assured him. He wants nothing from Edward that he's not willing to give. “This is still our first night together and there's plenty of time for us to have sex in the future.”_

“Okay, I just wanted to make sure we both felt the same.”

_“We both feel the same.” Oswald scrapes his nails down Edward’s back. “I promise.”_

Edward's body shivers from a cold chill, imaging Oswald's gentle touch down his spine.

_“Is your body going to tremble every time I touch you,” Oswald asks with a sly smirk painted on his face._

“If you touch me like that, yes.” He slowly nods his head, biting his bottom lip.

_“Good, because I like it.” Oswald cups the back of Edward's neck_

Edward has moved the doll's right hand to the nape of his neck.

_“I was wondering,” Oswald goes on to say. “If we both feel the same about kissing right now.”_

“We do…”, Edward answers simply.

_“Then kiss me, lab boy.”_

Edward presses his lips against the doll's. Feeling that flesh like silicone against his own lips sends more volts down his spine. “Ah….”, he cries out softly then reconnects with Oswald. “Mmmm…”, he vibrates on Oswald's warming lips, rolling his hips in the doll's lap, rocking the wheelchair back and forth.

When Edward realize that he beginning to take things a little far, he jumps out of Oswald's wheelchair. “I'm sorry,” he instantly apologized, pushing up the glasses on the bridge of his nose. “I'm really not ready for that.”

_“It's okay, Eddie. We have nothing but time together.”_

“I don't know what's come over me.”  He paces back and forth, before stopping in front of the wheelchair again. “I really didn't mean to make a move on you like that.” He steps back to the chair and sits on his knees next to it, resting his head in Oswald’s lap.

_“It's really okay Edward.” Oswald combs his fingers through his boyfriend's hair. “I didn't mind…. I actually liked it.”_

Edward moves the doll's hand through his chestnut threads. “You did?”

_“Yes.”_

“So did I.” He presses a kiss on Oswald's knee.

_“You see…. There's nothing to be sorry for.”_

Edward sits quietly on the floor with his head on Oswald's lap, rubbing the silicone hand through his hair. He thinks about the night, how he's never felt so wanted or needed my someone. Oswald is the best thing to come into his life. He makes Edward genuinely happy. He makes Edward feel like a real person.

Of course, Edward can't and won't forget the gratitude of Jim Gordon tonight. Without Jim, he and Oswald wouldn't have been accepted among a small group of new friends. He appreciates what the detective did for him and Oswald, making them feel welcome and standing by their side when no one else wanted to.

_*buzz, buzz*_

The cell phone rattles in Edward's pocket and he removes it from his pants to check the call. The number ringing his phone isn't a familiar one, but the name on the I.D. certainly is.

He opens the flip phone. “Dr. Thompkins?”, he says with shock edging his voice. “Please, excuse me if this is a bit rude, but how did you get my number?”

“Jim gave it to me,” she answers on the other line. “I hope you don't mind.”

“Of course not. Jim is a friend of mine.”

“That's good. He said the same about you.”

Edward sits up from the doll's lap and clears his throat. “To what do I owe the pleasure of your call?”

“I wanted to know if you were coming into the station tomorrow.”

“Of course I'm going to station tomorrow. I have to work.”

“Of course,” she echoes. “Well, I heard about the friend visiting you and how they got their luggage stolen at the airport.”

“Mmhmm,” Edward hums, nodding his head.

“I thought it would be best if you brought your friend to the station to make a formal complaint about the stolen items.”

“A formal complaint?”

“Yes, Edward…. There might be a chance that we can find the things taken from your friend. I also thought while your friend does the paperwork that I might have a word with you in my office. I missed you tonight at the bar. I rush off just before you showed because had a call back to the police station.”

“I see.”

“I was wondering if we could talk and catch up a little,” she goes on to say.

Edward doesn't respond. He can't help but think that there's a hidden agenda for all of this.

“Or, we don't have to talk if you don't want to,” she quickly adds.

“Okay, Dr. Thompkins.

“Okay?”

“Yes, I'll bring Oswald down to the station for the paperwork. But if you want to talk to me, I'd like it if you talked to him as well.”

“Oh… Yes… Yes, of course.”

“Great.”

“Excellent. I'll see you tomor-”

Edward closes his phone before Dr. Thompkins could finish her goodnight.

_“Eddie….”, Oswald says. “What was that about?”_

“Nothing.” He shrugs in a nonchalant manner. “We just have therapy tomorrow.”

_Oswald squints tipping his head to the right. “Therapy?”_

“Don't worry, Oswald.” He rests his hand on the doll's knee and gazes up into its glassy green eyes. “Dr. Thompkins is very nice.”

_“Okay, if you think it's a good idea, I'll go.”_

“Thank you, Oswald.” He kisses the doll's knee once more, then twice. “Also, I'm taking you shopping for clothes. You should have your own.”

_“I thought you liked me in your clothes,” Oswald teases._

“I do—” Edward stands from the floor and picks the doll up into his arms— “but they're not your style,” he says with a smile, as he carries the doll to the bed and rests it down on the mattress. “I'll find you something to sleep in for tonight.”

_“Thank you. That's so sweet of you.”_

“You can have the bed to yourself and I'll take the couch.”

_“Don't be ridiculous, Edward. We’re both adults and I think we can share a bed.”_


	3. Mr. Penguin?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Edward takes Oswald to the police station to file his stolen luggage claim. While at the station, Edward opens up a little to Dr. Thompkins and Oswald makes a few friends.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I love the way this chapter turned out and things are moving more into the thick of things, as this chapter will show. I hope those who read it enjoy. Please feel free to let me know what you think. Happy reading! (◍•ᴗ•◍)♡ ✧*。

## Part Three: Mr. Penguin? 

 

Therapy wasn't the word that Dr. Thompkins wanted to use during her brief conversation with Edward on the phone. She thought it would be best to treat the situation as a chat between friends and colleagues, but Edward saw right through her trick.

He may not have heard everything Jim Gordon said at the bar when he mentioned trying to find a way to get Edward professional help, but Ed was aware enough to know that a random call from the GCPD’s medical examiner, who also happens a licensed non-practicing psychotherapist, isn't just a coincidence.

_“So, we’re going to therapy today?” Oswald asks, sitting up alone in the middle of the bed - wearing nothing more than his violet lace panties._

Edward removed the pajamas from the doll that he had let Oswald borrow, and set the doll up with his legs crossed and its hands tucked in its lap the instant he woke up for the day.

_“I don't think you need it, Eddie,” Oswald goes on to say. “You've tried therapy before. It's always brought you back to the same place with those pills in your hand. I don't want to see you that way. That's why I'm here.”_

Edward pours two fresh cups of coffee in the kitchen, then walks up to the bed and rests the cups on the nightstand. “I know you're here to help me, Oswald—” he sits on the mattress with his back against the headboard— “but there are some things in which you can't.”

_“Like what?” Oswald shrugs. He hates the idea that there might be a chance that therapy isn't going to work for Edward again. “What can you tell some doctor that you can't tell me.” He crosses his arms and looks away from his boyfriend._

“No.” Edward places his hand under the doll’s chin and gently turns its head to face him. Before, it was staring straight into the bathroom ahead. “Don't you do that, Oswald," he says softly. "Don't think of it as if I'm keeping secrets from you.”

_Oswald turned his head away from Edward's hand. “That's what it sounds like," he hissed._

Edward gasps and his eyes widen with shock, as he drops his hand from the doll's face. He didn't anticipate Oswald to turn away from him. Oswald has never shied away from his touch. “You were okay with this last night.”

_“I've changed my mind,” he huffs, crossing his arms. “I'll go down to the station and fill out the paperwork for my stolen luggage, but I'm not going to talk to a doctor. I don't know why I let you tell her I would.”_

Edward squints, tipping his head slightly to the right. What could have changed in less than 12 hours? “Oswald…. But you've-”

_“I have a choice in what I want to do, right?” Oswald cuts Edward off, demanding his voice to be heard._

“Of course you do. I can't take that from you.”

_“Then respect my decision!”_

“Okay!” Edward gives in. He doesn't want to make Oswald do anything he doesn't want to do - even if he has no idea why Oswald changed his mind. “I'm sorry. This whole thing probably isn't a therapy session at all and I may just be assuming that's what she really wanted.”

_“It's fine, Edward,” Oswald says, crawling up to Edward and rests his head on his boyfriend’s lap._

Edward pulled the doll into this new position.

_“You go and see what she wants and if it is a session or whatever, stay and talk if you feel the need too. Going to therapy won't do a thing for me anyhow. It should be about you, not me.”_

“That's true. You're already perfect, to begin with.” He kisses the back of the doll’s head. “I'm sorry, Oswald,” he apologizes again. “Do you still care about me?”

_Oswald turns and gazes up at Edward. “Is that a rhetorical question?”_

“Not really.” He’s hoping that their first argument hasn't put a dent in their relationship.

_“Of course I still care about you, Edward Nygma. Just because we disagree on something doesn't mean I'm going to care any less about you.”_

“Okay…. I was just making sure. I'm not really used to arguments being resolved positively. My parents never....” He pauses for a moment, thinking of all the times he wished to be away from that house. "Well, you know.”

_“Yes, Eddie, I know.” Oswald cups the back of Edward's neck to draw him down into a kiss, but Ed stops just as their noses touch. “It was horrible." Oswald lightly grazes his nose over Edward's. "I’m sorry so many frightening things happened to you.”_

“It's okay, Oswald," Edward murmurs.

_“No, it isn't. You're still hurt by them.”_

Edward holds the doll’s hand on the back of his neck and presses his lips against Oswald’s soft, pink, silicone lips. “Mmm....", he hums, as a shiver thrills down his spine. "Let's just pretend like this little argument never happened—” he speaks between gentle kisses, casually changing the subject away from himself— “and have a good day. Okay?”

_“I can do that for you,” Oswald whispers._

Edward smiles, looking into the doll’s glassy eyes. The kaleidoscope of green hues is always captivating. “I bought you something last night while we were at the bar.” He combs his fingers through Oswald's jet black hair. “I had it overnight shipped.”

_“So that's what you were doing on your phone.”_

“Mmhmm.” He nods. “You wanna see it?”

_“If you bought it for me. Of course, I want to see it.”_

Edward sits the doll up with its back against the headboard then stands to his feet and goes to the closet on the other side of the loft. He opens the door and takes out a black pin-striped suit with a long tail coat, purple waistcoat, and a pair of black and white letter studded shoes.

_“You bought me a suit?” Oswald says, voice filled with emotion._

“You can't keep wearing all my clothes. They're not your style,” he chuckles, blushing ear to ear. The expression of surprise he imagined on Oswald's face was beautiful “And, they're way too big for you," he adds.

_“This is so generous of you, Eddie.” He smiles back at his blushing boyfriend. “But I thought we were going shopping together.”_

“We are.” Edward takes the clothes to the bed and laid them neatly by the doll. “I just needed to get you something for now.”

_“It's amazing how you know what I like.” Oswald brushes his fingertips over the studs of his new leather shoes._

“I remember everything you told me in our chats online.”

_“I remember them too.”_

Edward leans into the doll and kisses its lips again, and again. “You get dressed—” he murmurs, creeping his hand to the nightstand and takes hold of the warm cup of coffee he sat there earlier— “and drink your coffee while I make breakfast.” He wraps the doll’s hands around the mug. “Then we’ll head down to the police station.”

_“Will I get a chance to see what you do all day at work?”_

“I was going to bring you back home after you finished the paperwork. The station could be quite hectic. You don’t want to hang out there all day.”

_“Will you at least show me a little bit of what you do?”_

“Of course, Oswald.” He places a sweet kiss on Oswald’s cheek before standing up straight.

_“You just love kissing me,” Oswald chuckles, rubbing his hand against the cheek that was kissed._

“I can’t help it. You’re just so beautiful.”

_“You’re beautiful too.”_

Edward folds his hands behind his back, smiling down at Oswald with his cheeks painted in a rosy blush. Never has anyone, that he can remember, called him beautiful before. “Thank you, Oswald.”

_“You don’t have to thank me for telling you the truth.”_

Edward’s cheeks bloom even brighter. If he stands here any longer he’ll never get breakfast on the table. “Okay—” he slowly backs away from the bed— “I’ll be in the kitchen if you need anything.”

_“I can see you from here, Eddie. We live in a fucking loft,” Oswald jokes and takes a sip of the warm coffee._

“That’s so true, Oswald,” Edward says as he turns away from the bed and stands in the middle of the apartment with his eyes closed tightly while taking deep breathes. His body feels as though it’s coming down from a high as the animated hallucination behind him begins to fade into reality.

_“Edward…”_

He hears his name traveling from the bathroom. “Yes?”, he answers, keeping his eyes closed.

_“I’m changing in the bathroom. I don’t want you seeing all of my goodies before we have sex.”_

“Keeping me in suspense?”

_“Exactly!”_

“O-Okay!” He remains standing for a moment, eyes still shut, hands slowly opening and closing into fists. 

When he finally opens his eyes and circles back to the bed, he sees nothing more than a silicone doll. In his alternate reality, Oswald has gone into the bathroom to dress and the doll before him now lacks all the radiance of life.

Edward steps up to the bed and takes the cup of coffee out of the doll's hands - drinking half of the warm beverage before resting it back on the nightstand. He then takes the suit off of the hangers and begins dressing the doll.

He doesn't struggle as much as he did the first time maneuvering the 135 pound frame into clothing. He's even finding himself getting faster - which he thinks is good. The longer it takes him to dress the doll only means that it would take just as much time for Oswald to come back.

Edward slips the size 9 shoes onto the doll's feet and takes a step back to observe its appearance. He picks off a few balls of lint that had transferred from the old sweaters in the closet onto the new suit. Oswald should always look perfect.  

He picks up the doll, holding it in his arms, and carries it to the wheelchair by the couch in the living room - resting it comfortably on the padded seat.

Afterward, Edward goes into the kitchen and removes the thick cut bacon he left cooking in the oven.

_“Edward…”, Oswald calls for his boyfriend again. “This chair is stuck.”_

Edward rests the lemon blueberry pancake batter back on the cabinet and removes the skillet from the heat. He faces Oswald finding him struggling to get the wheels of the chair moving. He thinks he looks handsome in his new suit, but he can't help but find it adorable the way Oswald's hair flows in the air as he frustratingly tries to get the chair to the other side of the loft.

“Do you even need the chair today?”, he asks, holding back his laughter. “You just walked into the bathroom. Does your ankle still hurt?”

_“I can only trivial short distances like to the bathroom before the pain gets unbearable.”_

“Oh, I see. Well, that's exactly why I got you the wheelchair - to keep you off of your feet.”  He goes to the doll and stands behind the chair.

_“I know. I'm just not used to moving around in it.”_

“I understand.” He unlocks the wheels and pushes Oswald to the dining table. “I don't mind helping you at all.”

_“I'd be so lost without you, Eddie.”_

He locks the wheels and potions the doll's hands on top of the table. “I'd be the same without you.” He returns to the stove and replaces the skillet back on the heat, then picks up the ceramic bowl of pancake batter. “I hope you like blueberry lemon pancakes.” He puts some of the batter into the hot buttered skillet and tops the raw side of the pancakes with fresh blueberries.

_“I love pancakes. I've loved everything you've made for me so far.” Oswald cuts his eyes away from Edward tapping his nails on the table. “Except for the coffee,” he admits, spitting out the words swiftly._

Edward turns to Oswald and looks at him with a suspicious glare. “You nearly drank the whole cup before you went into the bathroom.”

_Oswald licks his lips, darting his eyes back and forth. He wasn't going to say anything about the coffee but the words left his tongue before he could stop himself. “I was just being polite—” he fixes his eyes back at Edward— “since you made it for me already.”_

“You had no issue letting me know what you thought about therapy.”

_“That was different. That wasn't about something sweet you did for me.”_

Edward chuckles lightly and returns to the stove and flips over the pancake. “Next time I'll just make you tea.”

_“Thank you, Eddie. I enjoy tea a lot more.”_

##  **~*~**

 

The house of Gotham's finest bustles with activity. Iron doors slam shut behind the backs of the city's most dangerous criminals - echoing throughout the police department. The air is thick with the musk of sweat, cheap coffee, stale doughnuts, and greasy take out - while every desk sits flooded in paperwork.

 _*whack*_ Harvey Bullock slaps another file on top of Jim Gordon's desk as if the man wasn't drowning in work already.

“Yeah, yeah, fine, alright,” Jim says to a disembodied voice on the phone line. “I'll get right on it as soon as I can.” He hangs up the phone and cuts his eyes at Harvey, who's sitting back in the chair at the desk across the way. “What the hell is this?”, he asks and picks up the file.

“Nothing—” Harvey sits up straight and pulls himself closer to his desk— “I just wanted your attention.” He smirks and removes the hat from his head. “I heard you had fun last night.”

Jim opens the file and finds a happy face sporting X’s for eyes crudely drawn on a sticky note. He sighs and slams the file shut. “So what if I did, Harv?”, he responds, folding his hands on the desk.

“Then I'll have to put you on my freaks list.”

Jim glares at Harvey with a blank expression. “I'm already on that list,” he says plainly.

“Yeah, well—” his cheeks flush with frustration— “now you're at the top—” hits an open palm on the top of his desk— “directly above Nygma!”, Harvey's voice surges through the station. “How do you like that?”

“I'm fine with that, Harv.” He stands from his chair and goes to Harvey's desk - leaning back against the desktop. “Look—” he crosses his arms— “Edward is coming into work today.”

“What?” Harvey rolls back in his chair. “I thought people like that would start to live in seclusion under bunkers or something.”

“Apparently they don't,” he quickly replies. “Listen, he thinks he's coming down for Oswald to fill out paperwork for stolen luggage...”

“He's bringing that thing!”, Harvey cuts off his friend, shock plastered on his face. The fucking nerve.

“Yes, but that's not the point,” he explains. “This is all really about getting Edward help. He's going to talk with Lee.”

“He needs to be locked up.”

“Now look….” Jim rolls his eyes ignoring Harvey's statement. What he needs to say is more important than his intolerance. “I know you and a few others are uncomfortable with this, but surprisingly, there is actually a larger majority that wants to do what they can to help. Lee has said that the best thing we can do is go along with this for Edward. She hasn't spoken with him yet, but she thinks this might be something he needs to work out deeper issues.”

Jim and Captain Essen had a brief meeting with the staff this morning about the delicate and odd circumstances surrounding their resident forensic tech - giving them only the basic information. No one truly understands what's happened to Edward and they quite possibly never will, but it's important for all to be aware of what is going on so that the situation can be treated respectfully.

Most in the department don't want to see anything get worse with what some have come to call ‘Edward's mental meltdown’. Poor choice of words, to say the least.

“I'm telling you this personally as a friend,” Jim goes on to say. “Because I know how you feel and that's understandable. I'm really not one for telling another man what to do, but….”

“Really, Jim? You're not?”, Harvey comments slyly, arching a brow and crossing his arms. He can't count all of the times Jim tried to tell another what to do with all 10 fingers and toes. He'd have to grow more - a lot fucking more.

“This is an unorthodox situation that no one saw coming and most of us don't want things to get worse,” Jim speaks quickly. He doesn't want another interruption from his friend. “Ultimately, all I'm asking is if you could try to refrain from any remarks that could be hurtful. We need to help Edward not push him away.”

“Fine, Jim.”

Jim blinks, taking a moment to make sure that what he heard was real. He still doesn't believe it. “What?”

“I said fine,” Harvey repeats. “I'll do what you ask.”

“Wait a minute, that’s it?”

Jim’s spent all this time trying to get to the point of the whole conversation and has gotten nothing but sass and backtalk. He was even prepared for Harvey to disagree and for things go back and forth between them a little while longer. But utterly giving in? Harvey Bullock giving in this easily is un-fucking-heard of!

“You're really just gonna do it?” Jim squints, tipping his head to the right.

“What more do you want from me?” He stands from the chair. “You came to me as a man, face to face, and asked me to do something that’s just as simple as keeping my big mouth shut,” Harvey says sincerely.

He was doing nothing more than poking a bit of fun at Jim. He didn't like the way things ended between them last night at the bar. Deep down inside, Harvey knew that Jim wasn't completely in the wrong with trying to help someone even as awkward and unlikable as Edward Nygma, and he couldn't let that get in the way of their long friendship.

Besides, Harvey thinks what's going on with Nygma is a simple fix anyways. Just take the doll away, slap a bandage on his bruises, and let the guy have a few crying sessions in therapy. That should do the trick. The police station would go back to the old days in no time - where all the sex dolls stay back in the evidence room.

“And I know that can be hard for me sometimes, but I love you, Jim.” Harvey lays his right hand on his best friend's shoulder. “If helping Nygma is something that you think is important, what kind of a friend would I be to try to stop you.”

“Are you serious?”

“I can't promise you that things won't slip. Ed is an annoying little shit that makes my skin crawl just looking at him, but I will try.” He takes a deep breath and sighs out. “I'll try for you.”

Jim rests his hand over Harvey's hand on his shoulder. “Thank you, Harv.”

 

##  **~*~**

 

A ruckus at the entry of the station catches almost everyone's attention. Edward Nygma walks backward through the doors, clumsily pulling a wheelchair and bickering to himself. Well, bickering with Oswald Cobblepot.

“We didn't have to stop for cannolis, Oswald. Now I'm late for work.” Edward mutters, backing up into the station. “You're just filling out paperwork. This isn't a social gathering.”

_“Ed, you're only two minutes late.”_

“Late is late.” Edward turns around with the wheelchair and faces all at the station.

Everyone stares silently back at him.

Edward’s heart begins to race and can feel the sweat on his brow start to pool - never has he had so much attention.

“Everyone's starting,” Jim mumbles to Harvey. “They were asked not to stare.”

“How can they not,” Harvey grumbles back. “Jeezus… look at the suit on that thing. What kind of money does Edward make? I should have gone into forensics.”

“Oh, stop it, Harv.” Jim playfully slapped the back of his hand on Harvey's shoulder, then gains the attention of those stuck in a gaze. “Everybody!”, his voice echoes across the station. “Back to work!”

All at the police station begin to move along with their work and Edward's anxiety slowly subsides.

_“Does that always happen when handsome men walk through those doors?”, Oswald asks, looking to put a smile on Edward's face. He could feel the tension flowing from his boyfriend when all eyes were on them._

Edward chuckles lightly, resting his hands on Oswald's shoulders and leans into the doll’s ear. “No,” he whispers, slightly brushing his nose over Oswald's silicone flesh. “But I bet that's something you could get used to.”

_“Actually, it is.”_

Edward smiles, standing up from Oswald's cheek, and starts to push the wheelchair through the station - making his way straight to the desk where Oswald could file his report.

“Oh my God,” Harvey snickers, watching Edward step closer and closer to the desk of their colleague across the way. “Look at Frank's face, he's shitting himself.”

Jim rolls his eyes at Harvey’s antics and rushes over to stop Ed in his tracks. “Edward,” he says, sliding in front of the way of the wheelchair. The man at the desk behind him sighed in relief

“Hello, Jim.” Edward grins, adjusting his glasses. “I was just taking Oswald to fill out the report for his stolen luggage.”

“I can see that.” He flashes a friendly smile down at the doll. “Good morning, Oswald,” he greets him kindly. “Last night was a blast.”

_“Last night was fun and I wanted to thank you for such a nice time—” Oswald holds up the pink box of cannolis that was resting on his lap— “so I got you these.”_

“Oswald, you didn't tell me they were for him,” Edward says, surprised by the reveal.

Jim stands confused, piecing things together in his mind of what they could be talking about amongst themselves. He can only hear Edward's dialogue. He peeks down at the pink box on the doll’s lap and makes the assumption that this is what they speak of.

“These are for me?”, Jim asks, picking up the box. “You didn't have to bring me anything.”

_“I insist. You showed us a wonderful time last night and I wanted to show you my gratitude.”_

“He insisted on them,” Edward echoes.

“Thank you, Oswald.” Jim opens the box to find 6 fresh, crisp, cream filled, Italian pastries. “They look delicious.” He closes the box and clears his throat. “I'm going to be the one to help you guys with that paperwork.”

“But you—” Edward points at Jim— “work homicide.”

“Yeah, I know…. But… Um…." He shifts in his place, hoping that his little lie will get him past Edward's suspicion. "These guys are busy and I'm between cases.”

“O-Okay.”

Jim holds back his expression of relief and rests the box of cannolis back on Oswald's lap. “You don't mind holding these for me a little longer, do ya?”, he asks the doll, then steps up next to Edward behind the chair. He places his hand on Edward's shoulder and eases them a few paces away from the chair to speak in ‘private’. “Lee was looking for you to analyze some bullet fragments she found in a body. I can take Oswald to my desk while he fills out the papers and you can catch up with Lee.”

“She called me last night and asked for a chat,” Edward says. Jim attempted at lying is mediocre at best, but Edward knows that his intentions are in the right place. “I know she doesn't have any bullets, Jim.”

“Oh,” he says plainly. Edward is one of the smartest people in the department. Jim figures he must have known something the moment Lee called him yesterday. She wouldn't have called Ed if is wasn't for him to begin with.

“But I appreciate your subtlety.”  Edward moves in from of the doll in the wheelchair and leans down eye to eye. “Jim's going to help you with your stolen luggage claim and I’m going to speak with Dr. Thompkins.”

_“Alright, but remember what I said, Eddie,” Oswald says, straightening the knot of Edward's tie. “Only talk if you need too. Don't force yourself to do anything you don't want.”_

“I remember.” He takes Oswald’s hand and kisses it before cutting his eyes up at Jim. “Please, keep that pathetic excuse of a partner of yours away from Oswald. He tried to kill him last night.”

“I can assure you, Ed, Harvey wasn't trying to kill Oswald.”

“I wasn't talking about Harvey killing Oswald—” Edward stands erect— “I meant Oswald killing Harvey. He didn't appreciate Harvey's behavior towards me last night. Not a very good first impression…. So could you please just keep him away from Harvey. Okay?”

Jim blinks, trying to keep his face from morphing into confusion. “Of course,” he answers quickly. As bizarre as the reasonings behind this request, he’s going to do his best to comply. “Oswald and I are friends. I’ll take good care of him for you.”

“Thank you.” Edward circles away and heads to the narrow hall at the far end of the building to meet up with Dr. Thompkins in the medical examiner’s lab.

Jim lays his hands on the handles of the wheelchair and quickly turns Oswald around to push him to his desk, but he comes to find Harvey in his path out of the blue. “Fuck!”, he shrieks.

“I smell cannolis.” Harvey licks his lips.

“You can be quick when it comes to food,” Jim jokes and both men share a laugh from the truthfulness of the comment. “Anyway, I promised Ed that I would keep Oswald away from you and that's what I'm going to do.”

“What does that little freak think I can do to a 150-pound sex toy?”

“Apparently, he doesn't want anything to happen to you. Oswald tried to kill you last night.”

If Harvey was drinking a cup of coffee he'd be choking right now. “Ha! If I didn't think he was insane before, now I really think he's off his fucking rocker.”

“Just stay away, Harv,” Jim insists. “If Edward comes out and sees you next to Oswald, he'll never trust me again.”

“Fine—” Harvey throws his hands up in defeat— “just let me have a cannoli.” He opens the box, takes two pastries out, and bites into one - flaky crumbs and cream stain his beard. “That suit looks more expensive up close,” he comments with a mouth full, eyeing the doll’s suit. There has to be at least $4,000, he estimates, that's sitting the wheelchair. Doll's like Oswald aren't cheap.

Harvey can say one thing about the craft of the doll, Oswald does look like a real person. He almost expects it to take a breath at any given moment.

“These are good.” Harvey takes another bit of the pastry.

When he goes to walk away from the chair, with an Italian dessert in each hand, Harvey trips over the black and white leather clad feet of the doll - which fell out of place when Jim abruptly stopped pushing the wheelchair.

“You didn't believe me,” Jim says with a  boisterous laugh as his friend quickly catches his balance. “Oswald is a killer.”

 

##  **~*~**

 

Edward stands outside of the medical examiner’s lab and opens the door. If he's going to go through whatever this interaction leads to, he wants it to be quick.

Doctor Leslie Thompkins closes the refrigerated drawer housing one of Gotham's latest murder victims and turns to Edward standing in the door.

“If I'm intruding, I can come back,” Edward says, worry edging his voice.

“Oh, no, no, you're not intruding.” She rests her clipboard down on the stainless steel table in the middle of the lab. “I just didn't plan on meeting you here.”

“I don't mind this place.” Edward closes the glass and wood door. “I actually like it.” He steps up to the table and stands across from the doctor.

“Really—” she tips his head inquisitively to the right— “why?”

“It's quite.”

“That's very true,” she replies with a kind smile from her painted lips. “Well, I'm glad you came in to see me—” folds her hands on the table— “but I thought you were bringing your friend.”

“Oswald changed his mind. He didn't want to talk to a doctor.”

“Oh.” She nods. “I see. So, Oswald makes his own decisions?”

“Of course he does,” he says, voice a little sharp. He’d never try to control Oswald. “Why wouldn't he?”

“No reason why he wouldn’t. It was just a question.” She doesn't mean to offend the state of their connection but takes notice of how Oswald’s independence is important.

“I know it was.” He pushes back his glasses. “Sorry for getting snappy.”

“It's find, Edward. No harm was done,” she assures him. “But may I ask why he changed his mind?”

“He said therapy could do nothing for him.”

“Oh, this isn't therapy, Edward,” she clarifies. “Unless you want it to be, but right now, we're just college's talking.” She wants any therapy they may have to be Edward’s choice. She doesn't want him feeling like he's been ambushed or forced. “Do you think you'd like to try therapy?”

“I don't know. I've tried it before and it didn't, well, I didn't have Oswald then”

“It's okay not to know.”

“It's just that, something isn't right,” he admits, saying a lot more than he thought he would say.

He doesn't know why he feels the need to say them. Maybe it's because he's never said them aloud, Oswald already knows these things, and Lee has always been kind to him for the most part. She seems like someone he could trust.

“Something has always been missing—” he tilts his head slightly to the left, rubbing his hand over the smooth, cold, surface of the table— “or taken from me and I feel like I don't have a place.”

“Do you think that's why Oswald came to visit you?”, she asks. “To help you find what that is?”

“Yes…. No….” The words fly from his mouth, unsure of which answer is true. He takes a moment to think. Oswald's existence was always meant to help. “Yes,” he answers honestly.

“Well, I'm happy you have him here to help you.” She smiles kindly

A timid grin lights quickly on his face. “He keeps me on my toes.”

“Have you felt off of them lately?”

Edward gazes down at the clipboard on the autopsy slab between them, thinking about how close he came to ending his life before he met Oswald. Loneliness, pain, and the feeling of giving up on livening clouds his mind in a way he hasn't felt since having Oswald in his life. He removes his glasses and pinches the bridge of his nose. 

Edward avoids the question he's been asked by the doctor with an inquiry of his own. “Is this a therapy session, Dr. Thompkins?” He looks back up at her. If anything is to go any further with their conversations, he needs the security of confidentiality. “Are you standing there psychoanalyzing everything I say?”

She straightens her back and breathes out deeply. “Yes, I am,” she admits. He's been nothing but truthful to her. He deserves the same respect.

“And what have you concluded?”

“Well, from my observation so far, I think your mental state is fractured. You are living in a delusion— though harmless to say the least— to explore yourself and your life in a way you didn't think was possible. Though you're coping with something, you're still independent and having Oswald hasn't affected your daily functions. I think that with a little time and help that you can find what you think is missing.”  

“Okay.” He rests his glasses back on his face. “Thank you for being honest with me.”  He turns away and opens the door to the lab. “I'll see you next week.”  

Lee’s eyes widen she didn't expect things to end so abruptly. “Wait…” she catches him at the door. “That's it?”

He nods. “Yeah.”

“So you're going to see me for therapy next week?”

“Yes.”

“Oh…” She slips hands the pockets of her lab coat. At least that's been cleared.

Edward steps out into the hall and he suddenly feels her hand on his shoulder. "Yes?", he asks, turning back to her.

“I just need to apologize to you,” she says sincerely, removing her hand from the slender man's shoulder.

“For what?”

“For not taking notice before.” She feels a little guilty that Edward probably showed many signs for help in the past and she didn't pay enough attention to see them.

“It's alright.” He flashed another dim smile. “It wasn't just you.”

 

##  **~*~**

 

At Detective Jim Gordon’s desk, a small gathering of policemen has surrounded Oswald's chair. The atmosphere appears to be friendly from what Edward can tell from the other side of the station.

_“Eddie!”, Oswald says, excited to see his boyfriend again - completely comfortable in the company of the other cops._

“What's going on here?”, Edward asks, stepping up to the desk.

“Oh, Ed, you're back.” Jim turns in his desk chair. “We’re all just hanging out with Oswald. These guys didn't get to meet him last night at the bar.”

“Yeah,” a rookie officer says. “Mr. Penguin here is a riot. I'm glad I got a chance to meet him.”

Edward squints. “Mr. Penguin?”, he repeats.  

“That just kinda stuck with our conversation when we asked Oswald about his suit,” Jim explains. “We know Oswald’s ankle is injured, but he was kind enough to stand and show us his new suit. We all thought the long tail coat kinda made him resemble a penguin.”

 _“I don't mind it, Eddie, I actually like the name,” Oswald says, freckles cheeks burning red from all the laughter while Ed was gone. “Come on, it's true, right?”_  

“Yes, I can see where that comes from.” Edward can’t help but agree and find the new nickname ironic. Oswald does own a riding crop with a penguin-shaped leather whip. “So, you've all been out here chatting with Oswald, but what about the stolen luggage claim?”

“Oh, that's all taken care of too.” Jim hands Edward the report which he filled out with the help of the others around him. They wanted Edward to see that Oswald could do things while Ed wasn't around.

Edward reads over the report and he finds that there are things he didn't know Oswald would have in his possession. “You lost a makeup kit?”

_“It was mostly eyeliner, mascara, and nail polish.”_

“Oswald, you've never mention wearing eyeliner.”

_“That's because you've never seen me wearing it. We never video chatted before we met.”_

“Oh...”

“Is there's something wrong, Edward?” Jim asked.

The back and forth conversation between Edward and Oswald happened so quickly, and Jim has never seen Edward oblivious to their subject matter. Edward always knew everything between them. Now, it seems as though Ed is learning things about Oswald that he didn't know. Almost how things would be in a real relationship.

“No… No, everything's fine,” Edward insists. “I just didn't know about the makeup and some of the other things on this list. He gazes down at Oswald. “If your luggage doesn't turn up soon, I'll buy them for you. Okay?”

_“Thank you, Ed. That’s very kind of you.”_

“I don't mind, Oswald.” He kisses the top of the doll's head. “I'll do anything for you.” He hands Jim back the report to be filed and steps behind the wheelchair. “Thank you all for keeping Oswald's company.”

“It wasn't a problem at all," Jim replies, tucking the report in a white file.

“I promised Oswald that I would show him my lab before taking him back home." Edward flattens the collar of Oswald's suit. It must have gotten ruffles when he showed the others his new outfit. "My workload is probably piling up and I haven't been back there yet to check, so we have to go.”

“Alright, Ed," Jim says kindly, nodding his head. “I'll check in on you later after you get Oswald settled back at home.

“Goodbye, Mr. Penguin!” the three rookies say, as Edward back away with the wheelchair.

_Oswald waves, blowing kisses to his fans. “See you all soon.”_

“Ugh, you're so melodramatic,” Edward teases his boyfriend, turning the wheelchair down the hall to his lab.

_“I know and you love it.”_

Edward sighs, “That's true.”


	4. Scars

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Nygmobblepot Lars and the Real Girl AU - Edward and Oswald take a small step forward in their sexual relationship. Tabitha Galvan stops by the loft unexpectedly to spill a little secret about Oswald. Edward isn't sure about the new forensics tech hired as the GCPD.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I’m just so proud of the direction this story is headed. Nothing but good things for all those involved. The ultimate goal for this story is Edward’s happiness. I would love to hear from those who read this chapter. I hope it's as enjoyable as those in the past. Happy Reading! (◍•ᴗ•◍)♡ ✧*。

##  **Part Four: Scars**

_[two months ago]_

A mundane existence.

Edward Nygma stares down at the bowl of fresh watermelon he brought as part of his lunch today. He sits in his lab, slowly turning the pages of the results of the bullet fragments he completed just before stopping to have a bite to eat. Working through lunch alone has always been the norm for Edward, but having the lack of an appetite after working so hard is not….. Well….. It didn’t use to be.

“Nygma!” Harvey Bullock explodes through the lab door like a rabid animal. At least, that’s how Edward would describe it. “The captain is raining down on me about your report on the Beckler case and she’s making my life a living hell.” He storms up to the steel table in the middle of the room. “Where the hell is it, Nygma?”

Edward drops the bite-sized piece of watermelon he was going to try to eat into the bowl and sits up straight. “I left that report—” he adjusts his glasses— “on your desk a little over an hour ago.”

“Well, I can’t find it.”

Edward folds his hands on the table. “I sat it right on top of your desk,” he informs. “Maybe it got buried under your hoard.”

“My hoard?” Harvey slithers around the table, getting closer to Edward. His eyes sear red with every step. “What exactly do you mean by that?”, he snarls through his teeth.

Edward glances up at the hot blooded Irish. “I only meant, that it’s probably buried under your other work.”

“I couldn’t tell if what you said was some kind of insult.”

“I didn’t mean it as an insult,” Edward simplifies. “It was actually just a joke.”

“Since when did you decide to have a personality, Nygma?” Harvey laughs at his own comment. The nerve of this lab geek thinking that he’s funny.

Edward’s heart sinks to the pit of his stomach. His words were supposed to be the joke - not himself. “I’ve – I’ve always had one,“ he says timidly.

He tilts forward, putting himself in eye level with Edward sitting in the chair. “I never knew you had one,” he mutters, then marches to the door. “If I don’t find the report on my desk—” he swings the door open so hard that the knob slams against the wall— “I’m coming back and I won’t be civil.”

“Wait!” Edward jumps up from his seat and meets Harvey at the door.

The detective turns to him with a grimace painted on his features. He isn’t too pleased with getting stopped my the little freak. “What do you want now?”

Edward had overheard a few of his colleagues planning to get together tonight at the bar to watch the championship boxing match. Edward isn’t normally a man to partake in watching sports, but his longing to socialize with others weighs heavier than his dislikes. “I was wondering.” He fidgets with his fervent hands. He would never just invite himself to meet with the others. Since Harvey was the only one to enter his lab after learning of the gathering, he didn’t see any harm in asking him. “If I could join you guys at the bar tonight?”, he finally asks.

Harvey gawks at Edward before he’s suddenly engulfed in hilarity and makes his way down the hall. “Now that—” he coughs from his boisterous laughing— “that’s a funny joke!”

Edward’s body begins to tremble and he fumes with anger over Harvey’s ill-bred manner. A simple no would’ve sufficed. There was no reason to laugh at a man reaching out to try to make friends. What’s the point in all of that?

He buries his feelings, like he always does, and slams the door shut to continues his work alone in the lab.

##  *****

##  *****

##  *****

##  *****

##  *****

_[present day]_

Rolling on his back in the comfort of his bed, Edward kisses the soft silicone lips of his inanimate boyfriend. “Mmm….”, he hums, as he pulls the doll on top of him.

It’s been two weeks since Oswald has come to visit Edward and their life together is particularly eventful.

_“You love my lips, Eddie?”, Oswald whispers, nipping sweetly at his boyfriend’s lips. “I put on that cherry lip balm you bought for me.”_

“I can taste it.” Edward slides his hands down the life sized dolls back and grabs its hips so that he can maneuver the doll in a slight grinding motion against himself.

_“Ah….”, Oswald moans softly, grazing the bulge in his lace panties against Edward’s. “You like that too?”_

“Yes, I do, but Oswald—” he stops the gentle motion of the doll— “I still don’t think I’m ready to go all the way.”

_“That’s okay.” Oswald places another kiss on Ed’s lips. “I’m not rushing you. I’d never do that.”_

“But I do want to do something.”

_“Whatever you wanna do, Eddie,” he combs his fingers through Edward’s hair._

Edward moves the doll’s hand through his soft brunette curls himself.

_“I’m up for it,” Oswald continued to say._

Lightning-quick Edward turns Oswald onto his back and positions himself over the doll. He wraps Oswald’s legs around his waist and trusts between the doll’s thighs- increasing the friction of the fabric against his cock with each drive.

_“Ahh, oh!”, Oswald cries, matching his rhythm with the man on top of him. “Ah, fuck!” His body rocks with every thrust._

Edward rolls his hips faster and faster against the doll - dry humping Oswald until his body suddenly gives into the intense pleasure between his thighs. “Uhng… Os-Oswald…”, he grunts with his eyes shut tightly, staining his pajama pants with his thick creamy release.

He holds himself above the doll while his body rides out the waves of pleasure.

_“Oh, Eddie,” Oswald heavily breaths coming down from his high as well. “Your face – your face was so beautiful.”_

“It was?”

_“Absolutely.” His legs lazily fall from around Edward’s waist._

Edward had unwrapped the doll’s legs. “Yours was gorgeous too.” He grazes the back of his hand over Oswald’s freckled cheek.

_“I figured that much,” Oswald snickers and lifts his head up from the pillow to kiss Edward again._

Edward leans into the doll and consumes Oswald’s lips as he rolls over to his side of the bed.

_“If you move like that—” he kisses Edward again and again— “when we really fuck, I’m going to need something to hold on to.”_

Ed reddens, resting his brow against Oswald’s. He never really thought, before he met Oswald, that he had such a raw passionate desire burning deep within him— or, that he’d ever had the chance to get to explore it.

“I think that can be arranged,” Edward says and lays on his back as he pulls Oswald closer.

_“It better be.” Oswald snuggles into Edward’s shoulder and spreads his arm across his lover’s chest. “Was that the first time you came with someone else?”_

“Yes.”

_“Mine too.”_

Edward holds Oswald and rakes his fingers through the doll’s raven hair - completely content with how their morning has begun.

*knock, knock, knock*

_“Who is that?”, Oswald asks, lifting his head from Edward’s shoulder._

“How should I know? I’m just as surprised as you.”

Edward has to go to work in just a few hours, so a visitor was the last thing he expected to have this morning.

_“Well,—” Oswald rolls of off his boyfriend– “I’m not putting on any clothes.”_

Edward positions the doll on its side with the bedsheet covering the bottom half of its body. “So, I guess that means I’m opening it then?”

_“Mmhmm…”, Oswald hums, biting his bottom lip and watches as Edward gets up from the bed. “You might wanna put on some clean pants. We ruined your pajamas this morning.”_

Edward turns to face Oswald and peeks down at his cum-stained pants. “Of course I planned on changing them.”

_“I was just making sure.”_

*knock, knock, knock*

“I’m coming!” Edward dashes to the closest and pulls a clean pair of black slacks from a hanger. He quickly changes into them, then attends to whoever is at the door.

Edward slides open the heavy metal door and finds a face behind he hasn’t seen in weeks. “Tabitha?”

Tabitha Galavan is a familiar face around Gotham. Mostly known for standing at her brother’s side during his run for mayor before he lost the election. Edward knows Tabitha personally from her short time in college before she dropped out. They took some of the same classes and studied together a few times. They weren’t really friends but had a mutual understanding with each other. It was always seen as just the smart kid helping out the struggling student.

Tabitha is also known around the police station as the woman who stole Jim Gordon’s financè, Barbara Kean, from right under his nose, but the three of them have made amends from that little spat.

“Good morning,” Tabatha says, making her way into Edward’s home. She looks around the apartment, and of course, notices the realistic doll lying in Edward’s bed, but she doesn’t blink an eye. She’s prepared herself to handle the situation. “Hello, Oswald,” she greets the doll as well.

“You know him?” Edward says shocked.

Normally, Edward would be more concerned about this woman entering his home uninvited, but he thinks it’s important to know her connection with his boyfriend instead.

“Yeah, I know Oswald.” She crosses her arms. “We’ve been talking all week.”

Since Edward started seeing Dr. Thompkins as a therapist once a week, certain people in Gotham have been aware of the situation with Edward and the doll. With Ed having no real treatment, except for talk therapy, it’s best for those around him to go along with his delusions. Some members of the community want to do what they can to help Edward though this peculiar predicament.

Jim Gordon has been in contact with Tabitha, through his ex-financè, to gather more people outside of the police station to get involved and try to help bring Oswald to life, so to speak. It pained Tabitha’s heart to learn of someone she knew, who once helped her, was going through a rough patch concerning his mental health. She wanted to do something to help and thought it would be fun to play dolls with Edward for a while.

The situation isn’t really that strange if looked at like a game.

“We’ve been chatting on the phone while you’ve been at work,” Tabitha reveals.

She’s worked on the story to tell Edward how she knows Oswald with her girlfriend before showing up at his place. She only just hopes that he buys it and that she doesn’t make anything worse for Edward with her involvement.

“You’re not a very good boyfriend to leave a lovely creature like Oswald alone all day with nothing to do,” she goes on to say - sounding very concerned about Oswald’s well being. “Are you even aware of what he does while you’re gone?”

Edward blinks, scratching the back of his head. A little confused as to what’s going on. “Wh-What?” If he didn’t have a history with her or if she wasn’t so worried about Oswald, he wouldn’t allow her in his home this way.

“His makeup,” she informs. “A man shouldn’t be locked up in an apartment with nothing to do but play around with his makeup. It’s inhumane. He wants to get out of the house and be a part of Gotham. Not just look at it from the window.”

Edward takes a moment to absorb this new development in his relationship with Oswald. “Oswald—” he turns to the doll lying down on the bed— “you’ve never told me about this.”

_“I didn’t want to worry you—” Oswald sits up and stares dagger at Tabitha— “and she wasn’t supposed to come over and make a big deal about it.”_

“Well, she did.” Edward marches to the bed and quickly lifts the doll up to sit on the edge of the bed - making sure to keep Oswald’s bare legs covered. “She’s right here—” he gestures back at Tabitha and takes a few steps back from the bed— “making a huge deal about it. This is important.”

_“I told her not to. It was just a silly thing we talked about.”_

“If you’ve been restless around the house, all you had to do was talk to me. Having a desire to do something isn’t silly.”

_“I just didn’t want to worry you,” Oswald repeats._

“Well, that’s exactly what you’ve done.”

“Look, guys, I didn’t come here to start an argument,” Tabitha intervenes, crossing her arms and shifting her weight to the right.

Actually, she did come to start something between the two. Their happy little home needed a fire lit under it.

“We’re re not arguing.” Edward looks back at her from over his shoulder. “It’s all just a miscommunication from _someone_ not talking to me.”  He turns back to the doll. “I can’t do anything about anything if you don’t tell me, Oswald.”

_“Fine!” Oswald huffed. He’s been forced to reveal his needs. “I wanna get out of the house while you’re at work. I don’t want to be stuck here waiting for you. I’m not a house-husband. I’m your boyfriend. I have my own life and I wanna do things too!”_

“Okay!… That’s all you ever had to say!” He steps up to the bed and bends down eyes to eye with the life-sized doll. “Of course you can go out during the day,” he speaks softly and cups Oswald’s cheek. “I never wanted you to feel like you were a prisoner here. No one should feel like that.”

_“I know you didn’t mean it.” Oswald rests his hand on Edward’s which holds his cheek. “It’s all my fault because I didn’t tell you.”_

“It’s my fault for not noticing.”

Edward hates when he and Oswald have a misunderstanding, but they always tend to resolve the issue quickly.

Tabitha watches the two. She didn’t know the extent of how this would all play out, or how physically connected Edward would be with the doll. She finds this unorthodox relationship oddly fascinating, and for lack of a better word, enchanting, in a sense.

Jim had explained that Dr. Thompkins had said that the doll is kind of a tool to help Edward cope with whatever has traumatized him. Though she can only hear one-half of the conversation between Edward and Oswald, Tabitha can clearly see that this treatment is working. Edward appears more open to express his emotions, unlike the person she once knew who seemed to bottle them inside.

“I’m glad that’s settled between you guys now,” Tabitha says proudly.

Everything worked out according to plan. Edward didn’t get upset with her but accepted this little change in their routine. She hopes with Edward knowing that Oswald is out doing things without him,  like a real lover would, will help Edward better face the issues that have disturbed him.

“You can thank me later, Oswald,” she adds as she makes her way to the door Edward left open. “What time do you go to work today, Ed?”

Edward stands up straight and meets her at the door. “10 o'clock,” he answers.

“Good. Babs and I will be back at 9:30 to pick him up.”

“What are guys going to do?” Edward asks.

“You know Barbara and I are opening a club and we need someone with a keen style like Oswald to help us.”

_“We’ve been talking about the club all week, Eddie, and she loved all of my ideas,” Oswald says._

“I’m not surprised that she liked them.” Edward looks back at Oswald on the bed. “You do have your own unique sense of style.”

“Well, I’ll leave you two to enjoy the rest your morning and I’ll see you later, Oswald,” she says her farewells for now.

_“You definitely will.”_

She smiles at Edward, noticing an expression of hope on his face. Showing up today appears to be a good thing for the forensic examiner. Edward now knows that those at the police station are not the only people willing to help him.

“Thank you, Tabitha,” Edward muttered softly. She didn’t have to take an interest in him, but she did. Maybe there was friendship between them during the time they spend in school.  

“You helped me once. I thought I’d return the favor.” She winks at him before turning away and walks down the hall. “Bye, bye, Ed.”

Edward slides the door shut and joins Oswald back on the bed. He drapes his arm around the doll’s shoulder and it leans into him.  

_“We have amazing friends, Edward,” Oswald sighs blissfully._

Edward smiles and chuckles from the back of his throat then kiss the crown of Oswald’s head. “I’m starting to see that.”

##  **~*~**

Late afternoon, behind the brick walls of the GCPD, Dr. Lee Thompkins is elbows deep performing an autopsy on a man suspected to have been poisoned.  

“The heart weighs a little over 10 ounces,” she says into the microphone to keep a record of her findings. “Which is about average for a man.” She removes the heart from the scale, rests it on a steel tray, then turns her attention back on the subject. “Now removing the….”

The door to the medical examiner’s lab swiftly swings open and Edward walks into the room. Today isn’t the usual day to have therapy, but Edward feels a need to have a quick chat with the Doctor. With each session they have together, he grows more trustworthy of her.

“Edward!”, she shrieks with surprise and catches her breath from the unexpected jolt.

“Dr. Thompkins, are you busy?” Edward closes the door behind himself, fully aware of the body on the slab.

“Ummm—” she gestures to the dead man down before her— “yeah….”

“He’s not going anywhere is he?”

She giggles softly. Edward’s comment isn’t a falsity. “You’re right about that.” She removes her bloody gloves and tosses them in the biohazard bin, then washes her hands before turning off the voice recorder. “What can I help you with today, Ed?”

Edward walks up to the table, standing with the dead man awkwardly between them. “I’m having a fantastic day.” Though the lab is gray, dark, and cloaked in death, Edward’s face illuminates with a smile.

“That’s incredible.” She glides around the table and stands next to Edward. Talking over an open body about Edward’s emotions is a tad bit unsettling even for her. “What happened to you today? I can see that wonderful day glowing on your face. Things with Oswald must be well.”

“Oswald and I are always in a good place, but this isn’t about him. It’s about me.”

“Well, it’s an unbelievable feeling to sense pride for oneself.”

“For some reason, I feel like I have a clear path on where I’m going and the kind of things I want to do,” Edward says confidently. Though Oswald, Edward has quickly learned that he doesn’t have to be a prisoner of circumstances. “I haven’t felt this way in years.”

“Wow… I am enormously happy for you. Things seem to be turning around in such a short time. I hope it’s not overwhelming.”

“I don’t think so.” Edward pushes up his glasses and slips his hands into the pockets of his lab coat. “I know it’s just a small step to being the man I think I can be, but it feels so huge.”

“Do you remember the last time you’ve felt this uplifted?”

Edward’s thinks for a moment and the only memory, that he can recall, of having this feeling surging through him comes to mind. “Probably the day I legally changed my name.”

“Oh…” Dr. Thompkins perks with surprise and blinks. “So…. you weren’t always Edward Nygma?”

“If I had been, I wouldn’t have changed it.”

“Well, that’s a very significant thing to do in one’s life.”

“I couldn’t keep living with that constant reminder.”

“Reminder of what?”

Edward takes pause again, thinking of the man he was really named for and the sleepless nights in that house where he thought he’d never wake up in the morning. He quickly shakes those thoughts out of his head and stuffs them back into the murky depths of his mind where he always keeps them.

“Now come on, Dr. Thompkins.” He forces a smile on his face. “I’m having a good day today and don’t want to ruin it with talks of him.”

“I’m sorry,” she instantly apologizes. “I didn’t mean to bring up something still difficult for you.”

“Let’s be honest, Doctor. It’s going to have to be brought up sometime.” Edward is aware that what has happened to him in the past still holds him trapped. He still hasn’t found the strength to speak of it to anyone but Oswald.

“Whatever the reasons are for your name change doesn’t have to be mentioned until you’re ready,” she assures him. There’s never a rush when it comes to therapy and she believes that Edward should go at his own pace.

“Yes—” he pinches the bridge of his nose and takes a deep breath before sighing out— “I know that.” The ghosts of his past must be addressed at some point, but will he truly be ready to speak of them? “Okay, Doctor—” he drops his hand back at his side—” I’m going to go now. I have work of my own to finish.”

“Are you sure? We still talk a little more.”

“I think we should save some for an actual session. I shouldn’t reveal all my secrets at once.”

She smiles brightly and snickers at his little joke. “Okay.”

Edward returns her kind grin with one of his own, then nods as he backs away to the door. “Thank you, Doctor.”

“You know I’m always here for you.”

“I know.” He opens the door. “Have fun with your man,” he says as he steps out into the hall.

##  **~~**

Edward hurries down the hall of the GCPD to return to his lab - high on the euphoric sense of physically feeling the changes in his life. Oswald has helped to bring out more of Edward’s confidants, while the people around him have shown that he truly isn’t alone on this journey.

Real friendship does exist in the world.

“Oh!”, Edward huffs when he crashes into someone while taking a swift right turn around the corner to his lab. “I’m terribly sorry.” He catches his glasses from falling to the floor.

“No harm was done,” the other man says. “You seem to be in a rush.”

“Not particularly.” Edward puts on his classes. He can now clearly see the dark skin man in a gray suit before him.

“Anyhow, I’ll let you go on your way.” He steps to the left to allow Edward to pass.

“I can’t really be on my way if you’re standing in front of my door.”

“Oh!” The man’s eyes widen when realizing who he speaks too. “So you’re Edward Nygma?”

“And who is asking?” Edward removes his glasses and uses his lab coat to wipe them free of fingerprints, then replaces them.

“I’m Lucius Fox.” He extends his hand. “I’m the new forensics scientist.

Edward glances down at the man’s hand, then slips his own into his pockets. He was never aware of the station hiring new technicians.

Lucius clears his throat and takes back his hand. “I’m here to make your life a little easier,” he adds.

“How do you plan on doing that?”

“By lightening your workload of course.”

“My workload is fine.”

“Well, that’s not what I’ve been told,” Lucius chuckles. With the crime rate slowly rising in Gotham, so does the work of those trying to solve them. “We can even work on things together if you like,” he goes on to say. Lucius can clearly see the annoyance on Edward’s face, but he just wants them to be civil partners. He isn’t trying to take Edward’s place.

“Nothing against you… Er…. Foxy.” He smirks, well aware that isn’t really the man’s man. Foxy just rolled elegantly off the tongue. “But I’ve always worked alone. That’s just what I’m used too.”

“I can understand that, but you can’t just leave me here without something to do.”

Edward didn’t want to admit it, at least not to Mr. Fox, that he is right. The GCPD is paying him to work after all. “Just a second.” Edward walks past Lucius and goes into his lab, quickly closing the door before he could be followed inside. He hastily grabs a file on top of the stack of on his desk and takes it back to the door. “Here you go,” he says through the crack in the door and slaps the file in the other man’s hand.

Lucius glares down at the single file suspiciously. “This is only one project.” He was expecting more than this, at the very least one-third of Edward’s workload.

“I know.” Edward creeps the door closed a little more, obscuring Lucius’ vision from his work on the inside. “Let’s just see how you do on that and I’ll hand you another afterward.”

“Is this some kind of test? Because I can assure you that I….”

“Yes, it’s a test,” Edward cuts him off and shuts the door completely before Lucius could finish his statement.

##  **~*~**

After another long day in the lab at the GCPD, Edward returns home. He wasn’t sure what time Tabitha and Barbara would bring Oswald home, so he left a spare key tucked in the breast pocket of Oswald’s suit.

Stepping into the loft, Edward finds a note on the floor with the key. He picks them up and reads the words written in a gold glitter pen on dark purple paper.

_Good evening, Eddie._

_I’m so happy you’re home and I hope your day was as exciting as mine._

_Tabitha and Babs could be a bit rowdy. Can you believe they wanted to get me out of the house to drink with them? However, I kept them in line and focused on what we planned to do. They just don’t know that I could drink them under the table._

_Anyhow, I picked a very elegant fabric to be upholstered on all the seats at the club. The girls were lucky I was there because what they had planned was a fucking nightmare. The seats would have been an eyesore against the lighting that’s already been put up in the club._

_They’re picking me up again tomorrow to help with a menu for the food. I’m suggesting tapas. Because what’s better than a small tasting menu at a club? Nothing!_

_I’ll tell you more about my day in person when you come join be in this warm bubble bath._

_I just can’t wait to see you in the bathroom! Hurry the hell up!_

~~_~Love, Barb_ ~~

_~Love, Oswald._

Edward laughs to himself. Reading every word made his body flood with warmth. He slides the door of the loft shut and rests the key and the note on the side table by the door, then kicks off his shoes and pulls off his socks, as he makes his way to the bathroom.

Opening the door, Edward sets his eyes on the life-sized doll laying back in the tub full of exotically scented bubbles. He smiles as the vision before him animates into life with his hallucination.  

_“I heard the door creak open,” Oswald says and turns his head to the door. “Could that be my beautiful boyfriend?”_

“It certainly is,” Edward answers. “I have to be honest though. I am a little confused by all this?”

_“What’s there to be confused about, Eddie?”_

“I thought you didn’t want me seeing your goodies before we had sex.”

_“I’ve changed my mind.” Oswald sits up in the tub. “Now come here.” He beckons him with a come-hither motion of his finger._

How could Edward resist when Oswald looks at him so sensually? He walks to the tub and removes his tie.

_“That’s a good boy.”_

Edward sits on his knees on the floor, rolls up the long sleeves of his checkered shirt, and dips his hand into the water to find the green loofa. “I love the letter you left for me.” He pulls the soapy loofa to the surface and lifts the doll upright to bath its back.

_“Mmm…” Oswald hums and arches his back. “I’m glad you did. I’m sorry I didn’t write it myself. I asked Barbara to write it again, but she said it was fine and that you wouldn’t mind her little mistake.”_

“I didn’t mind it at all. I hardly noticed it.”

_“Good.” Oswald places a little bit of the bubbles from the tub onto Edward’s head._

Edward had done the action himself by using the doll’s wet hand.

_Oswald giggles at the site of Edward with a bubble mountain on his head. “You’re so adorable.” He leans in closer to his lover. “Now give me a kiss.”_

Edward turns the doll’s head to him and kisses its wet lips. “I missed you today,” he whispers. “Knowing that you weren’t at home had me a little worried, but I knew you’d be okay.”

_“Of course I’d be okay. I was with our friends.”_

“You were, weren’t you?”

_“Mmhmm…” He nods and kisses Edward again. “Join me in the tub and tell me about your day.”_

Edward removes the suds from his head and flicks his hand over the water to shake them off. “Well…umm, I’m a little embarrassed,” he admits.

_“Why, Eddie?”_

“I’ve never taken my clothes off in front of someone else.”

_“I’m not just someone else, though. I’m your boyfriend,” Oswald says boldly. With everything they’ve been through so far, Edward shouldn’t feel shame about showing his body to Oswald. “Look at me, Eddie.” Oswald lifts his head from gazing down at the floor._

Edward looks up at the doll, with the phantom touch of his lover under his chin.

_“I’ve felt your body against me already and the sensation was intoxicating. I’ve felt your shape through your clothing and imagining how you looked underneath. I don’t think you have much to be embarrassed about. I already think your body is gorgeous and I haven’t even seen it yet.”_

“How do you always—” Edward lays his hand on the doll’s soft silicone freckled cheek and grazes his thumb across the bottom lip— “make me feel better, Oswald?”

_“It’s my job.” He gently kisses Edward’s thumb, then smirks fiendishly up at him. “Now get your ass in this tub with me.”_

Edward kisses Oswald’s lips as his slips his hand down under the bubbles and lets out some of the water from the tub. It’s gotten cold from when Tabitha and Barbara originally ran the water and placed the doll inside.

When just enough has drained out, Edward breaks his kiss with Oswald then replaces the plug and turns on the warm running water - adding in a bit more bubbles to foam up.

As the fresh water fills the tub, Edward stands to his feet and begins taking off his clothes. He starts with his shirt, slowly unbuttoning the pearly white buttons. Not before long, he was removing the fabric from his shoulders.

_“Stunning,” Oswald murmurs when Edward’s shirt falls to the floor._

Edward stands with his arms crossed over his chest. His body shivers from the air hitting his flesh and the sense of feeling more exposed than he’s ever felt. “Are you telling the truth?”

_“I’d never lie to you.”_

Edward’s lowers his head, looking down at his bare feet - the feeling of shame creeping up behind him. “But what about these?”, he says timidity and turns around to reveal the dozens of scars peppered on his back. “Are they stunning too?”

_“I know how you got them and I wish I could change what’s happened to you. Those scars are a part of your body, so of course, I think they’re beautiful.”_

“I—” he sniffs his nose— “I believe that.” Edward turns back to the doll with tears burning his eyes. He can almost feel the strike of each blow that left those marks seared into his skin.

_“Come here, gorgeous,” Oswald says softly._

Edward unbuckles his belt, then takes off his pants and underwear - revealing more of his body and more scars to Oswald. He shuffles to the tub and turns off the running water before stepping inside behind the doll, sitting down with one leg on each side of Oswald, and lays the doll back against him.

_Oswald leans back and lifts his right arm to cup the back of Edward’s neck. “Don’t let anyone tell you that your scars aren’t beautiful. You didn’t deserve what happened to you, but those marks are part of you now. If someone’s going to love you, they need to love them too.”_

Edward rests his back on the wall of the tub, holding Oswald against him. “I’ll remember that,” he whispers and kisses the top of the doll’s head as a single tear falls to his cheek.

_“Good.”_

 


	5. Fearful Touch

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> (Flashback): Before Edward returned home after Tabitha and Barbara spent their first day out with Oswald, the ladies set up the Love Doll so Edward will arrive home to a romantic bath with his boyfriend. (Present Day): In therapy with Dr. Thompkins, Edward opens up about his past and shares with the doctor something about himself he's never told, Oswald. Back at home, Edward is ready to show Oswald how much he appreciates him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This one just might be my new favorite chapter, but I might say that with every chapter because I love this fucking story. Things are starting to touch on Edward's past and how he deals with them. Oswald is just being his adorable dolly-self, taking care of his boyfriend. I hope those who read it enjoy and if you do, please like, comment, or reblog the story. Thank you and happy reading!

## Part Five: Fearful Touch

_[One hour before Edward arrives home]_

“Ugh,” Barbara Kean grunts, standing outside Edward's loft, gripping onto the handles of Oswald's wheelchair. She and Tabitha are bringing Oswald home from their long day together working on the new club. “Just get the damn door open. You have a key and it's not like you're picking a lock.”

“You can just shut up now because I got it open,” Tabatha grumbles back, sliding open the metal door. “And, by the way—” she turns to Barbara and Oswald behind her—“I pick a pretty good damn lock.”

“Gah, if Oswald was real—” Barbara rolls her eyes, pushing the chair into the loft—“I'd bet he'd complain about you being slow, too. He wants to get home and relax.”

“If Oswald was real, he'd have better manners than you.” Tabitha follows inside and closes the door behind them.

Barbra throws her head back, laughing. “He's a figment of Edward's imagination.” She stops the chair by the couch and pulls out a note she wrote for Edward out of the pocket of her jacket. “I highly doubt that Oswald would have better manners than me.” She steps up to Tabitha and snatches the key out of her hand, then lays the note, with the key on top of it, down at her feet.

Tabitha crosses her arms and shifts her weight to the left. “Why are you putting it on the floor?”

“So Edward can find it.” She stands up straight with her hands on her hips. “It's gonna be the first thing he sees.

“Whatever,” Tabitha says, rolling her eyes and stepping pass Barbara to go to the wheelchair. “Just help me undress Oswald.” She stands behind the chair and leans over the doll's shoulder to unbutton his suit jacket.

“Are you sure Edward's not going to mind us stripping his boyfriend?”

“It's fine, Babs,” Tabitha assures her. “He's going to think Oswald did it himself.” She lifts the doll’s arms and completely removes the first layer of clothing. “Now come help me. You know he's heavy.”

“Alright.” Barbara shuffles to the chair and bends forward in front of Oswald to start taking off his shoes. She pulls off the doll’s genuine black, crocodile leather dress shoes, thinking,  _how the hell does a doll have better taste than me?_  “Do you think these dolls come dressed like this?”

“No,” Tabitha answers. “They only come in lingerie.”

She pops her head up and squints at Tabitha. “How would you know that?” she questions suspiciously.

“Because when I found out what was happening to Edward, I looked up the site for the doll company.”

“Oh,” she says with a sight shrug and continues to remove Oswald's other shoe. She doesn't know what she was thinking. Why else would Tabitha know that information?

“It's Edward who has better style than you,” Tabitha smugly adds. “Not the doll.”

Barbara looks up and stares daggers at her lover. Why does she always have to be in her head?

“I know what you were thinking,” Tabitha snarks and winks at her, causing the grimace on Barbara’s face to fade into a smile.

Barbara shakes her head, still snickering and smirking, as she pulls off the gray and black umbrella-patterned socks from Oswald's feet. “So, anyway, it's really Edward that wants to dress like a mob boss, since he's projecting his feelings through and with the doll?”

“I don't know, maybe he does?” Tabitha pulls the black shirt over Oswald's head and tosses it on the couch. She positions the doll's arms back on the arms of the chair and picks up the shoes Barbara laid on the floor. “But it's really not our place to psychoanalyze him. That's the doctor's job,” she goes on to say. “We just have to understand him and be supportive.”

“I guess you're right.” Barbara unbuckles the belt and pulls it out of the loops. “It's also easier not to think about it too much and hope that what we do helps him.”

“Yeah, exactly,” Tabitha agrees. “But what we're doing right now is more than just helping. We're going to brighten his day.”

“But isn't he going to think Oswald did all of this? We won't get any credit!”

“We’re not doing this for credit. We're trying to help him,” she reminds Barbara. She knows her girlfriend’s intentions are in the right place, but she needs a little help to see the bigger picture sometimes. “And besides, Edward isn't completely insane. He is aware of what's going on, and as soon as he's better, he'll recognize and appreciate everything we've done for him. He probably already does.”

“Ugh, you're right.” She unbuttons Oswald's pants and quickly yanks down the zipper. “How are you always right?”

“I don't know, but you love me for it.” Standing behind the wheelchair, Tabitha hooks her arms under the life-sized doll’s armpits and lifts Oswald up from the seat to help make it easier for Barbara to remove the pants.

“That's true,” Barbara eventually replies and slides the doll's pants down past his ass, along with his purple lace panties. Much to Barbara’s surprise, Oswald's permanently erect cock pops up from its prison of clothing. “Wow!” Her eyes grow wider as she dodges the thick, eight-inch-long silicone cock that nearly slaps her across the face. “Eddie likes big dicks,” Barbara says, impressed, and stares at the cock much longer than she should. She stops herself from copping a feel and completely removes the rest of Oswald’s pants. She tosses them on the couch and gazes up at Tabitha resting the doll back on the seat of the chair. “I guess Ed and I do have more in common since we both like big dicks.”

“Says the woman who was going to marry Jim Gordon,“ Tabitha jokes and chortles at her own comment. She couldn't allow the moment to pass without saying it.

Barbara's blood begins to boil. She just walked into that all on her own, knowing Tabitha won't allow her to live down that little glitch in her life. “Oh, just, shut up and help me up from the floor.” She'd normally lash out in a playful manner, but she's going to keep her temper cool in front of Oswald.

“Yes, ma'am,” Tabitha snickers. She offers her hand to Barbara and pulls her up from the floor.

Now with Oswald completely naked, both women lift the 135-pound love doll from the wheelchair and carry him to the bathroom. Barbara almost slips as they lay him down in the tub, but she catches herself and Oswald from plummeting into the tub. Tabitha turns on the water and adds lots of the exotically-scented bubble bath solution she found on the bathroom sink.

“We should have brought roses,” Barbara comments and takes Tabitha by the hand as they watch the tub fill with water.

“Do you think Oswald is the kind of man that would give his boyfriend roses?”

“Mmm…” Barbara takes a moment to think about the things she knows about Oswald.

She heard from Jim about that night at the bar how Edward shared things about Oswald to help everyone get to know him. Edward had explained a lot about how Oswald was very close to his mother.

“No,” she finally answers. “I think he'd give lilies.”

Tabitha looks curiously at Barbara, tipping her head to the right. “What makes you think that?”

“Well—” she lets go of Tabitha’s hand and turns off the running water—“Jim was talking about how Edward was describing Oswald as kind of a mama’s boy.” She sits on the edge of the tub.

“Okay?” Tabitha steps up to Barbara and stops between her legs, resting one hand on her girlfriend’s shoulder, the other delicately skimming across Barbara's forehead to brush away the little blond curl that fell out of her up-do when they were carrying the doll. “I need to hear more.”

“Lilies symbolizes humility and devotion, like a mother's love,” Barbara explains, resting her hands on Tabitha’s leather-clad hips. “Oswald is devoted to helping Edward and I'm sure he's always telling Edward how much he cares about him…. So, with thinking that, Oswald is definitely a lilies kind of man.”

Tabitha smiles and kisses her girlfriend on the brow. “Okay, I can see you put a lot of thought into that.”

“I did!” Barbara says proudly.

“I agree with your theory completely. I guess Oswald will be bringing Edward lilies tomorrow when he gets home.”

“And dinner,” Barbara quickly adds. “Something cheap and delicious like Chinese takeout.”

Laughing lightly at the excitement on Barbara’s face, Tabitha says, “Someone's having fun with playing dolls.”

She suddenly takes hold of Tabitha’s face and looks her square in the eye. “Is that okay?” she asks with concern in her voice. A realization dawned on her that maybe they're making light of a dire situation. “Is it okay for us to have a bit of fun with this, even though Edward is ill?”

“I think it's okay as long as we don't hurt Edward,” Tabitha assures her.

Edward quickly adapted to the curveball of Oswald wanting to get out of the house when Tabitha visited him this morning. He wasn't alarmed by the change and went along with the story as if it was actually something Oswald came up with himself.

“What we’re really doing is helping to bring Oswald to life and trying to make things feel like it would if they were in a real relationship,” Tabitha continues to reassure her girlfriend that there isn't anything wrong with having a bit a fun while helping Edward. “I don't think that's harmful to Edward at all. I think it's helpful and gets him away from being alone with Oswald all the time if we give them both something to do.”

“So we’re doing good things?”

“Yes, babe,” she kisses Barbara on the brow again. “I think we’re doing amazing things.”

## *  
*  
*  
*

_[Two Weeks Later]_

In the police captain’s office at the GCPD, Dr. Lee Thompkins is in a therapy session with Edward. They use the captain’s office to have their talks because—even though Edward doesn't mind the medical lab—she thinks it's a more relaxing and comfortable environment.

“You're very quiet today, Edward,” the doctor says, shifting in the office chair. They've sat down for the session almost ten minutes ago and Edward has hardly uttered a word. “Is today not a good day?”

“No, it isn't that,” Edward answers, staring down at the stack of papers on the desk between them, wondering if any of those new cases will be headed his way or to the technician that was hired two weeks ago.

(Lucius Fox had passed Edward's little test and performed the work that was handed to him with the same attention Edward would have shown the case himself. With Lucius proving to be just as intelligent as Edward and completing the work in a timely manner, Edward really had no other choice but to hand him more cases to do. Despite starting to warm up to the new technician, Edward still thinks he could do all the work himself.)

“It's fine,” Edward goes on to say. “It isn’t bad or good.”

“Yeah, we all have days like that—” she rests her notebook down on the desk—“but it still seems like something is troubling you.”

“Something sort of is.”

“Would you like to talk about it?” she asks.

Edward scoots to the edge of his seat and leans in a little towards the desk. “It's about Oswald,” he whispers.

“Oh—” she blinks. “I see.”

Since Edward is still telling the doctor that Oswald refuses to go to any therapy sessions, Dr. Thompkins tries to keep the focus of their talks on Edward. However, most times when Edward does mention Oswald, the talk fades into a conversation with issues Edward has about himself. She knows he uses Oswald to project his own emotions.

“I assume things between you two are going well, since you're still dating.”

“I guess.” Edward slightly shrugs and sits back in his chair. “We've been living together for a little over a month now and I think—” he peeks over his shoulder to make sure the door is closed—“I think he's getting restless.” He looks back at her.

“What is Oswald restless about?”

He leans toward the desk again. “Having sex,” he says, hushed and quickly. He sits back in the chair, crossing his right leg over the left.

“Oh, I see.” She scribbles down a few notes in her book. “So, you haven't had sex yet?”

She did kind of assume that Edward had already used the doll for its intended purposes, which is only natural to assume. She's a little surprised to hear that he hasn't, but she doesn't show the shock on her face.

“No, not really,” Edward confesses. They've done nothing more than a bit of dry humping. “We did—we did do something once, but it wasn't real sex.”

“Sex can be a healthy part of a relationship.”

“I know.” Edward shrugs.

“I can't help but assume that you're a little troubled about making love with your partner.”

“Oh, I'm not.” Edward shakes his head. “I'm really not,” he repeats. “I'm just taking things really slow and I can't help but feel like he's kind of… _rushing me_.”

“I see.” The doctor removes her glasses and rests them on the desk. “So how does Oswald express to you that he's ready to have sex?”

“He's been walking around the house lately being very teasing and flirty with his body,” Edward divulges, rolling his eyes with annoyance. He enjoys Oswald's flamboyant behavior, but he had no idea it would get so intense. “At first, he wouldn't even change his shirt in front of me, but now he sleeps completely naked with his body pressed against me all night.”

“And it makes you uncomfortable when he does these things?”

“No…. Yes…. I don't know,” he stumbles over his words.

He cares for Oswald and he knows Oswald is willing to wait until he's ready for sex, but these signs that Oswald is always giving out are a little over-the-top sometimes. Edward knows that he means well, but there's really only so much a man can take.

"There are other intimate things you could try with your partner. You still can satisfy his sexual appetite without intercourse."

“Yes. I know." He is still a little apprehensive about a few things that go along with sex. "We took a bath together—” he straightens his glasses, “which was very nice, but I did feel uneasy undressing in front of him.”

“It's very normal to feel awkward undressing in front of someone. We all have insecurities about our bodies.”

“It isn't just the undressing though,” Edward explains and takes a deep breath as he shifts nervously in the chair, preparing himself to say something he's never said to anyone. “It's also being touched…having my bare skin touched.” Edward removes his glasses and pinches the bridge of his nose with his eyes shut tightly, slightly rocking back and forth.

Those words feel unreal leaving his lips, but it’s so good to finally say them and to have someone actually hear them.

“Umm…. Even with Oswald—” he drops his hand from his face and looks back up at the doctor, “when…umm…some parts of my body are touched, it feels like a branding iron is searing my flesh,” he speaks those last words intensely through his teeth, feeling the heat of that iron creep across his skin. “I can't tell Oswald this,” he says more calmly, but there’s still emotion rattling in his voice. “He'd think it was his fault or that I don't desire his touch when I do. I love it when he touches me. It just—just hurts when he does it and I try to hide the pain, but I don't think I can anymore. He's gonna find out and it will break his heart.”

Dr. Thompkins suddenly stands from her desk chair and takes the empty seat next to Edward. She moves closer so that he knows she truly cares about what he's saying. They're finally getting to the root of some of his issues and sharing the horrible memories of his past will help him in his treatment to recovery.

“Is there a physical pain when you're touched?” she asks, keeping her voice in a calming tone and trying not to show too much emotion. What Edward is describing sounds like the results from abuse.

“It's like that feeling when your foot falls asleep—” he replaces his glasses back on his face, “but it's more intense—” he balls his hand into a taut fist which digs his nails into the flesh of his palm, “and there's excruciating heat.”

“This happens when anyone touches you?”

“Yes,” he answers, nodding his head quickly.

“And on only certain parts of your body?

“Yes.”

“What parts?”

“My back, mostly.”

The doctor nods and folds her hands in her lap. “You must have gone through some severe trauma regarding your back.”

Edward turns away and stares down at the floor. His stomach cramps at the thoughts rushing through his mind, but he feels that he has to tell the doctor the truth. “I wasn't a very good boy growing up—” he chokes up with emotion, but clears his throat to finish his statement slowly and clearly, “and I was punished for my misbehavior.” He pauses for a moment, continuing to gaze at the hardwood floor, and licks his drying lips. “I wouldn't call what happened to me trauma because I deserved it…. At least, that's what he kept telling me.”

“You didn't deserve what happened to you. You were only a child. The way you're describing this sounds like abuse.”

An insecure smile creeps on Edward's face and a throaty chuckle escapes him as a single tear travels down his cheek. “I've heard it called that.”

“That is what it's called, Edward. It's child abuse and that's trauma.”

Edward sniffs his nose and his face turns red as he fights the tears from flowing. “My back—” he quickly takes another rattled breath to center himself enough to finish speaking and lets it out through his mouth, “is covered in dozens of scars.” His shoulders slump forward and he shamefully lowers his head. “The instrument he used was a long, thin branch from a bush or a tree that he'd make me get myself. He called it a switch…but it was really a whip and he wouldn't stop until it tore through my flesh.”

The doctor finds herself momentarily speechless. She never thought this man who she had worked closely with on numerous occasions would have such a dark and violent childhood. “Who did that to you?” she asks, once she's able to speak.

Edward would rather have his tongue ripped from his mouth than utter the name, but he finds the strength within him to speak it. “Edward Nashton…. The reason I changed my name.” His lips wobble with his words. “If it wasn't for the fact that everyone called him Teddy, I would have changed my first name, too.”

“Is that your father?”

“I've heard him called that—” Edward folds his arms over his stomach and curls forward in his chair, “but I've always called him a monster.”

“Edward, please look at me.”

He lifts his head and looks at the doctor. Her mocha eyes are very kind and comforting to gaze upon.

“What happened to you is not your fault.” She shifts in the chair, turning her body towards him. “You shouldn't have had to live through what you did, but you're so strong to come out of that and live your own life—even though you still feel held down by the past. You need a little help to overcome the horrendous abuse you suffered and I'm going to try my best to help you with that.”

“You will?” The tears Edward’s desperately held back finally fall from his eyes. She's said that she'd help him many times, but this is the first time he actually believes it.

“Of course,” she assures him. “I will always be here to talk to you about anything, no matter what. I'm on your side. Everyone in your life right now is on your side.”

“I can feel that a little more every day with the way everyone treats me and Oswald.” He sniffs his nose and dries the tears from his eyes. “I've never felt more accepted and—and I have you to thank for that.”

“You don't have to thank me. Had I paid more attention and known that you needed it, I would have helped you a long time ago.”

Edward smiles timidly at her and turns his head to look at the stack of case files on the captain’s desk. The session isn't halfway over and he has already shared something with the doctor he's never told anyone. He feels relieved to know that she knows and didn't judge him for any of it. He knows that the rest of this session is going to continue down the dark path of his past, but Edward isn't quite ready to elaborate any further on the subject. He feels he's already said enough; that was the hardest thing he's done all week.

“If you—if you don't mind, Doctor,” Edward says softly. “I—I don't want to walk a-about monsters anymore.”

“We don't have to talk about monsters.”

He turns and looks back at the doctor with his hands closed into fists as his right leg begins to shiver with anxiety. “I was—was wondering if there was some way you could help me with being touched?”

“That I can help you with…. Do you know what exposure therapy is?” she asks.

“A technique in behavior therapy to help treat anxiety disorders—” he pushes his glasses up on the bridge of his nose, “by exposing the patient to the source of their anxiety.”

“That's correct. The intention is not to cause you any harm, but I think it's the best way to help you overcome your distress,” she explains. “Is exposure therapy something you're willing to try?”

“Yes, if you think it will help.”

“I've never tried it before, but I do think it could help you.” She stands from her seat and steps behind Edward's chair. She won't do anything without his consent and she will stop if he tells her to. “Now you said you only feel the pain when your bare skin is touched, correct?”

“Yes,” he answers honestly. “I dress in layers so my clothes are kinda like a shield and I don't really mind being touched over them.”

“Alright.” She nods and slowly rubs her hands together to warm them. “I'm going to touch your shoulder and you tell me what you feel.”

“Okay.” His right leg jitters faster, feeling the heat of her touch approaching already.

“Try to relax, Edward. You're very tense.”

“I know,” he admits. “It just that you're about to touch me and I know you're going to do it and I can feel the pain already.”

Without giving him a warning, Dr. Thompkins lays her dainty hand on his shoulder, feeling him stiffen under her touch. “How does that feel?”

“It's fine,” he speaks swiftly but truthfully with his eyes closed tightly. “You're not touching my back and the layers are working. I can handle this, I handle this every day.”

“What about this?” she asks and lays her other hand on his right shoulder.

“That's okay.” Just as he speaks those words the doctor slides her hands from his shoulders and slowly down his back. “Ah….” Edward breathes heavily and keeps himself from jumping up from his seat. Normally he wouldn't feel the pain of being touched through his clothing but he knows that's she's planning to slip her hands underneath.

“Would you like me to stop?”

“No,” he answers, pulling his shirt out from being tucked in his pants and scoots to the edge of the chair. “Please keep going,” he whimpers.

“I'm going to lift your shirt only uncovering your back. Okay?”

“Yes, okay.” Edward’s heart races as she lifts his shirt, revealing the long, thin markings across his back.

The doctor's eyes widen with alarm when she sees the scars on Edward's back. It's a monument of years and years of endless suffering. She's seen many scars and bruises on the bodies from the cases she's worked to solve, but nothing like this on the living. Nothing like this on someone she knows.

“I'm going to touch you now,” she warns him, after clearing her throat. She shouldn't give any signs that she is just as emotional as Edward. Nothing that happens in their sessions are about her. Edward is always the main focus.

“Okay.” Edward closes his eyes and tries to steady his breathing. When the doctor rests her warm hand flat against his scarred flesh, Edward whimpers and clutches onto the arms of his chair, keeping his body in place. He clenches his jaw and his body quivers as he endures the pain of her touch.

Witnessing the suffering her touch is causing Edward, Dr. Thompkins promptly removes her hand. Maybe it's from her lack of experience with practicing this technique, or—maybe it was her own emotions that urged her to stop, but she couldn't see him in pain any longer, even though she knows the pain is only psychological.

“Please, don't stop,” Edward pleads and his body starts to stiffen. Living in fear of being touched is not how he wants to live his life anymore.

“It really does hurt you.” She didn't know what to expect at first—she didn't know she'd see him in this much anguish.

“Yes it does, but I need it to stop hurting. I can't live like this anymore.”

“You shouldn't have to live in fear of an embrace.” She lifts his shirt up a little more. “And you're right. It's best to keep going on,” she agrees. She knows exposure therapy is the best treatment for him. “I don't know why I removed my hand. I shouldn't have…. So, let me know when you want me to pull away.” She replaces her hand back against his skin.

“Ah….” he moans softly, in agony, and his legs begin to tremble once again. “Please d-don't stop until—until the pain is gone.”

## ~*~

Therapy was helpful to Edward in more than one way. Centering on his body issues, past child abuse and his fear of being touched were the topics he felt needed to be addressed to move on a little further with this new chapter in his life. He’ll still need more exposure therapy, but today he did overcome some of the pain from having his bare skin touched. He knows, at least, Oswald’s touch will be welcomed.

Edward doesn't have a full day of work on the days he goes to therapy with Dr. Thompkins. He leaves the GCPD two hours earlier than usual to wind down from the stress and emotions the session may have risen from him. Today's therapy was emotionally and physically draining, but it left Edward feeling cleansed and a little more confidence in himself. Now he really wants to relax with Oswald and maybe even be in the mood to try out something new.

Edward arrives home and finds Oswald sitting on the couch. The doll is still watching the 15-hour penguin-themed movie and TV show marathon Edward recorded on his DVR just in case he ever had to leave Oswald home alone. Before leaving for work this morning, Oswald said he didn't want to go with Tabitha and Barbara to help with the club today. So, Edward set the doll up in front of the TV, still wearing his pajamas, with a blanket over his legs and a couple of slices of leftover pizza resting on a plate on top of the coffee table. Edward told the ladies that Oswald wanted to stay home and rest up while he waited for him to come back.

Of course, the women didn’t want to believe that this was what Oswald really wanted to do. They had planned for Oswald to surprise Edward with another little romantic setting, but they didn’t have anyone else's word to take for what Oswald wanted to do today other than what Edward was telling them. So they left the loft with hopes to hang out with their favorite doll tomorrow.

Edward had a feeling that therapy might get a little heavy and he really needed Oswald to stay home and be there for him. He normally wouldn't make such a selfish decision for Oswald, but just for today, he took a bit of liberty with how Oswald would spend his day. He doesn't think it's wrong to do it only once.

He stares at the scene he left waiting for his return home until his mind animates his boyfriend to life.

_“Welcome home, Eddie!” Oswald greets him enthusiastically and rests the TV remote on the couch. “I've missed you today.”_

“I've missed you, too,” Edward replies and closes the heavy metal door of the loft. “You wouldn't have missed me so much if you went to work with Tabitha and Barb.”

_“I didn't want to go,” Oswald says. “You know those days when you don't feel like doing anything?”_

“Yeah….” Edward steps away from the door, taking off his overcoat and the green sweater he wore over a white dress shirt.

_“I was having one of those.”_

“I understand that, but is there something wrong?” he asks, concern in his voice. “You love hanging out with Tabitha and Barbara.”

_“I just wanted to be alone,” he assures Edward that there's nothing wrong with him. “Is that okay?”_

“Yeah, that's fine, as long as there's nothing wrong with you.” Edward clutches his clothes against his chest and steps a little closer to the couch. “It’s okay to want to be alone sometimes.”

_“It is,” Oswald says with a smile. “So…. How was therapy today?”_

“It was hard, but I got through it. Dr. Thompkins is very good. A real professional.”

_“Do you want to talk about it?”_

“Not really—” Edward slowly shakes his head, “but—but I would like you to hold me.”

_“I've been waiting to hold you all day.” He pats his hand on the couch cushion. “Come here.”_

Edward drops his keys, coat, and sweater on the floor and shuffles to the couch as he kicks off his shoes. He takes the remote control from the doll's hand, turns off the TV, and changes the doll's position so that its legs are laying across the couch. He then plops down onto the couch between the doll's legs and lays on his stomach. He wraps his arms around the doll's waist and rests his head on its thigh.

_“Therapy must have taken a lot out of you today.” Oswald strokes his hand in Edward's hair._

“It did,” Edward admits, removing his arm from around Oswald's waist and rests the doll's hand on his head. He imagines the loving strokes and gentle scratches against his scalp. “We talked about him and some of the things he did to me.” Ed tries to say his father's name as little as possible.

_“Oh, Eddie, I'm so sorry.”_

“It's okay…. It felt good telling someone else. Dr. Thompkins is very understanding.”

_“That's good that you were able to open up to her. I'm so proud of you.”_

“I didn't say much, but I'm proud of myself, too.”

_“It's okay that you didn't say much. Every little bit counts,” Oswald praises him. “You felt a weight lifted from your shoulders, right?”_

“Yeah, I did.”

_“Then that means opening up to her is working.”_

Edward suddenly sits up on his hands and knees and kisses Oswald on his smooth, silicone lips, tasting the cooling mint lip balm he put on the doll's lips this morning. He breathes in deeply and out through his nose as he nibbles sweetly at Oswald's bottom lip.

_Oswald giggles softly as he breaks their connection. “What was that for?’_

“For believing in me,” Edward mummers against the doll’s lips. “For believing that I could make changes in myself.”

_“I’ll always believe in you, Ed.”_

‘I know you will” He kisses the doll’s lips again.

_“Mmmm.” Oswald hums sweetly against his lover. “I needed that kiss.”_

“So did I,” Edward whispers and kisses the doll once more, before laying back down on his stomach with his arms wrapped around Oswald. “I never thought I could tell anyone the kind of things I told the doctor. No one else except you.”

_“You're stronger than you think you are, Ed.”_

“I really am—” he looks up at the doll— “aren't I?”

_“You are.”_

Edward beams, before snuggling back against Oswald's thigh. “Could you please rub my back?” After the pain he felt from the exposure therapy, he thinks Oswald's touch is the perfect thing to soothe it, now that he knows the pain he felt was only psychological.

_“Of course.”_

Edward takes Oswald's arm and lays his hand on his back, imaging warm, circular motions against him. He wraps his arms back around the doll while Oswald's hand stays in place on his back.

_“Like that?” Oswald caresses his hand over his boyfriend, feeling the raised scars under the fabric of his shirt._

“Yes, just like that,” he says blissfully and peppers Oswald's thigh with sweet kisses.

_“Those feel nice,” Oswald giggles._

“I bet they do,” Edward speaks between kisses. “I'm so sorry, Oswald.” He’s apologizing for the way things have been regarding their sex life. He never anticipated them waiting so long to be intimate.

_“For what?” Oswald questions, tipping his head slightly to right._

“I know you've been getting anxious about making love,” Edward confesses. “I can read your signs and I'm sorry that I'm still not ready to do everything.”

_“Ed, I can wait for you. I promised you I could,” Oswald says honestly. “And those signs you talk about…I’m just being playful. I’m not rushing you all. I'm sorry I made you feel like I was.”_

“It's just that you're so hard to ignore sometimes. On some days I do think I'm ready and other days I don't.” Edward tightens his hold around the doll. “You're just so beautiful and comfortable in your skin, and I wish I felt that way in mine.”

_“You are beautiful,” Oswald states boldly. He’ll tell Edward every day that he's gorgeous until it's permanently embedded into his mindset._

“You keep telling me that.”

_“And I wish you’d believe it.”_

“I believe it when you say it.”

_“Sometimes I can't tell.”_

Silence falls between them, as Edward imagines Oswald gently rubbing his back and he thinks about all the things Oswald has done for him. He's afraid that he hasn't done enough to show Oswald how much he does care about him.

“You do know I deeply care about you, right?”

_“I know you do,” Oswald says truthfully._

“Do I show it enough?”

_“You show me all the time.”_

“But not in the way you want.”

_“Eddie, sex isn't important.”_

“I know it isn't, but I want to do something for you,” he says slowly caressing Oswald's thigh. “I might not be ready to do everything, but I am ready for this with you.”

Edward lifts his head from Oswald's thigh and sits upon his knees between the doll's legs. He slowly pulls down the hem of the doll's penguin-pattern pajamas pants, which he bought for Oswald just last week. He knows Oswald's cock is long and thick—he still isn't sure if he ordered the doll this way or if the doll company makes them all huge—but Edward thinks he could satisfy his boyfriend. If not, it will still be good practice.

_“Eddie, you really d-don't have to,” Oswald stutters, feeling Edward's hand dip inside his black lace panties and those long fingers wrap around his hard cock._

“I know I don't—” Edward licks his lips, “but I want you to know that I appreciate you.”

_“I know you do.”_

“Well let me show you how much.” Edward leans forward and spits on the flesh-colored silicone cock he exposed from the playful pajamas, then slowly slides his hand up and down, feeling his own cock twitch in his pants. Straightening his back and gazing into the doll's glassy, green eyes, Edward says, tone hushed, “I won't do anything more until you say yes.” He glides his hand along the shaft, spreading his warm saliva to keep it lubricated.

_Oswald breathes and his head lolls, unable to speak with this unfamiliar grip around his cock. It's the first time it's been in another's hand._

“Do you want me to do this, Oswald?” Edward asks, slipping his other hand down into his pants and taking hold of his own semi-erection.

_“Ah….. Ah….Yes….” he moans._

“Thank you for allowing me to do this for you,” Edward's voice is low and smokey as he bends forward, never taking his hand out of his own pants, and kisses the hood of Oswald's cock before filling his warm, damp, mouth. He bobs his head up and down the saliva-coated shaft, feeling the tip of the thick cock hit the back of his throat as he tries not to gag, since this is the first time he's ever attempted oral sex. Having the sensation of his mouth full cock causes Edward's hand to move faster under the cover of his pants.

_“Ah…. No—” Oswald's hips buck involuntarily, “th-thank you, in-instead!”_


	6. The Third Wheel

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The newly hired lab technician, Lucius Fox, may have a crush on his colleague, Edward Nygma, and asks Edward to join him at the Global Science and Technology Convention this weekend. Edward wants to join his respected co-worker but must run the idea by his dolly-boyfriend Oswald, who isn't too keen on Lucius at the moment. Lucius meets Oswald for the first time and isn't sure how to take the fact that Edward is dating a Love Doll.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you didn't see Foxma happening in this story you may not have been paying attention… Hehehe, just joking, but yes, this story has Foxma. However, that doesn't mean this isn't a nygmobblepot fic, which it ABSOLUTELY IS! Though this story is all about Edward mentally healing, happy endings are in the future for everyone involved and that DOES include Oswald's happiness as well!!! If you enjoy this chapter please like, reblog, or comment. Happy reading! ૮⍝◜•˕̮•◝⍝ა

## Part Six: The Third Wheel

Edward has worked with Lucius Fox for over a month, and since he was the only lab technician for the GCPD for several years, his first encounter with Lucius started on a bit of rocky ground. At first, Edward didn't think the man had what it took to do as well of a job as himself. It wasn't like he thought he was better than Lucius, (to be honest, he did think that a little) but he was rather content with working alone. He didn't have to have a lot of interactions with the rest of the staff when he worked on his own. Sometimes officers would come to his lab to collect their files, which kept a majority of the bullying from being thrown in Edward's direction. Most bullies, at least the ones Edward had encountered— except for his father— don't like to do their bullying without an audience.

Though the new lab technician still thinks Edward is a little strange, Lucius has grown a bit fond of him. They are both intelligent men and they work exceptionally well together. Neither of them has to work late hours when they work on a case as a team.

“As soon as you're finished with the blood spatter analysis, I can take it to the captain,” Lucius says, pulling off bloody plastic gloves and tossing them in the trash. It's not real blood that stained his hands, but rather the same substance that could be seen in any Hollywood movie.

“Okay, thank you,” Edward replies, and lowers his head to continue the paperwork.

Lucius doesn't normally work with Edward in his lab, well, not at the beginning, at least. It's just something that had slowly started to happen over time and neither of them had said anything about it. Maybe, perhaps, Edward has grown a little fond of his work partner too?

“I'm actually glad it's the weekend.” Lucius hangs his lab coat in the closet and takes out the jacket to his black suit.

“Mhm…” Edward hums with a nod, never taking his eye off the paper.

“Do you have any plans for the weekend?” Lucius asks, slipping on his jacket.

Edward perks up and peeks back at Lucius from the corner of his eye. The man is facing away from him and folding down the collar of his jacket. Edward can't help but question why he would ask such a personal inquiry. They've never talked about anything other than work.

When Lucius turns to face Edward, Edward quickly put his eyes back on the paper.

“So…. Do you have any plans?” he asks again.

Edward drops his pen on the stainless steel lab table and turns in his chair. “Why?” He straightens the glasses on the bridge of his nose.

“Just curious,” Lucius says with a smile and a shrug. His pearly white teeth really stand out against his rich dark skin.

Edward swivels his chair so that he faces the table again. “I'm just staying home,” he answers, and focus his attention back on his work.

Edward and his dolly-boyfriend, Oswald, are usually homebodies on the weekend, that is if Oswald doesn't want to do something. If he does, then Edward is always pleased to show his beautiful boyfriend around Gotham.

“There's nothing wrong with that,” Lucius says, and steps closer behind Edward. “I was wondering….”

As Lucius spoke those three little words, Edward circled around in his chair again. Only this time, the arm of the chair knocks against Lucius’ right leg and sends the lab technician stumbling back, wincing in pain.

“I’M SO SORRY!!” Edward shrieks and jumps out of his chair to check on his lab partner. “Oh, dear…. I hope you're alright!!”

Lucius rubs his thigh as he lets Edward know how he's feeling. “It's okay,” he assures the other man. “I'm fine… I'm fine… No real damage is done.” He rubs the pain out of his thigh.

“I feel like an imbecile.” Edward bends over and moves Lucius’ hand out of the way so he can check out the leg for any real damage himself. He massages Lucius’ thigh over the area the chair hit, but he can't tell through Lucius’ dark pants if any real damage has been done. He hopes that it doesn't leave a bruise later on. “I'm so sorry,” he wholesomely apologizes again, looking up at the man, still rubbing warm circles over his leg with the palm of his hand.  

“You have nothing to feel sorry about, Ed,” he assures him, trying not to show too much pleasure on his face from the soothing sensation of Edward's hands. He's never known another to have such a magical touch. “It was only an accident,” Lucius manages to speak clearly, then clears his throat nervously. He really hopes Edward doesn't notice how much he likes his touch. “It's my fault for trying to check if you were finished with the paper.”

Edward stands after making sure Lucius is stable on his leg. “If I was finished with the paperwork, you’d know.”  Edward would have told him like he always does.

“That's true,” Lucius laughs, a little bashful. His fondness for Edward is a bit more than that. He's developed sort of a schoolboy crush on his lab partner over the time they've worked together. It's nothing on the romantic side, (of course not yet, at least he hopes not) and it's also nothing he can't keep under control. Though he thinks Edward is odd at times, Lucius finds him intriguing. He thinks Edward is a smart man with a damaged soul, which is something he hasn't yet figured out. Edward doesn't talk about himself when their working and that makes Lucius think of him as a very private man, but Lucius only wants the chance to get to know him more; to be his friend.

“So—” Edward turns away and retakes his seat at the chair— “it is your fault,” Edward jokes.

“Yes, it is, and that's fair of you to say,” he replies with a raspy chuckle.

Edward gives him a timid grin before turning back to his work.

Lucius stands, watching Edward, unbeknownst to him. He always found something comfortable in the silence they've experienced with each other when they're both deep in their work— something very zen to say the least.

After watching Edward finish to the bottom of his paper, Lucius clears his throat, breaking the zenful silence, and gaining the attention of his lab partner again. “Before our little accident, I wanted to ask you something.”

“Yes, and what's that?”

“Well,” Lucius pauses for a moment and takes a breath. He doesn't know why he feels nervous to ask. It isn't like he's about to ask Edward out on a date or something. “There's the Global Science and Technology Convention this weekend, and I thought to tell you about it since you are probably the only other person at the station who might find it interesting. I was wondering if we could go together.”

Edward circles back to face Lucius and he squints at him, tipping his head to the right.

“You don't have to come if you’d rather rest. I know we had a lot of cases this week.”

“Oh, no, it's not that,” Edward assures him that he isn't trying to refuse his offer. “I was just thinking.”

“I'm so sorry,” Lucius apologizes, feeling as though he's rushed the man.

“It's okay. I was only thinking about how I wanted to go when I heard about it a few months ago, but now I have Oswald and I don't think he would be interested in that.”

“Oswald?” Lucius questions. This is the first real personal information he's learned about Edward from himself. He's heard other things from gossipers around the station about how Edward has some kind of strange doll fetish, but Lucius knows not to believe everything being said around the gossip table. Most of the people whispering these things are people Lucius has personally seen verbally bully Edward.

“Oh…” It suddenly dawns on Edward that Lucius was hired after he introduced Oswald to everyone at the station. “Oswald is my boyfriend.”

“I didn't know you had a boyfriend.” Lucius isn't really upset to hear the news of Edward having a boyfriend. His crush on his coworker is nothing more than just a crush. He doesn't expect anything real to grow between them, well, that's what he keeps telling himself.

“I know you didn't, because I never told you,” Edward says, somewhat smugly.

“That's fair enough,” Lucius sighs.

Edward's eyes widen as he realizes his reply to Lucius sounded unpleasant. “I'm sorry. I didn't mean for it to sound rude.”

“It's fine… I—I understand.”

“I just need to run the idea of going to the convention by Oswald before making any decisions.”

“As a good boyfriend should.” Lucius steps up to the table and takes a pen from the holder, then scoots a notepad closer. “If everything works out with Oswald, you can call me here—” he neatly writes his phone number— “and we can set a time to meet.”

“Alright.” Edward smiles kindly up at Lucius as he hands over the number. “Thank you for inviting me.

“It's not a problem, Ed,” Lucius assures him. “I didn't want to go alone. Having you and Oswald join me would make great company.”

## *  
*  
*

Later that evening, Edward returns home to his loft to find his boyfriend waiting for him.

Oswald was out with Tabitha and Barbara today, and they set the love doll up in another romantic scene for Edward to come home to. This time, Oswald is at the dinner table, wearing only a ‘kiss the cook’ apron and nothing more. The table is set with the best of Edward’s China along with candles lit and a crockpot full of Hungarian Goulash still incredibly hot. Tabitha and Barbara spent most of the day trying to perfect an authentic dish neither of them had ever cooked before, but it was a fun experience for the woman to have together while doing something to brighten Edward's day.

Over the passing weeks of the woman picking up Oswald from Edward's place, they’ve learned of Oswald’s background from little notes Edward leaves with the doll and they've recently learned about Oswald’s family. His mother, Gertrude Kapelput, was an Eastern European refugee who came to America to escape poverty and war. She raised Oswald as a single mother and recently reconnected with the love of her life, Elijah Van Dahl, a tailor who comes from old family money. She has been living with Elijah, Oswald's father, ever since Oswald moved in with Edward. It’s an elaborate backstory from the extremely imaginative mind of Edward Nygma.

Edward smiles as he gazes upon the scene, and his mind travels to that place where his dolly-boyfriend springs into life.

_“Welcome home, my love,” Oswald says, lifting the top off of the crock-pot— steam escaping from the lid, filling the loft with exotic Hungarian spices._

“Thank you, dear,” Edward replies with a bright smile on his face as he steps closer to the table. The top of the pot isn’t really off yet, but he can still smell how delicious the food will be. “I hope you didn’t cook like that,” Edward jokes, lifting the top from the pot. “That’s extremely unsanitary,” he chuckles.

_“Well, then, I guess you’ll never know.” Oswald giggles and offers Edward the seat next to him._

“I don’t mind if I do.” Edward gladly takes the chair next to the doll, then leans over the table and gives Oswald a loving kiss on the lips, which taste a bit different today, unlike the cherry lip balm Edward always applies to the doll. “Mmm… What is that?” he asks, though he has an idea of what the flavor might be.

_“I forgot my balm at the house and Tabitha let me use hers. It’s strawberry lemonade.”_

Tabitha and Barbara thought Oswald needed to surprise Edward with a new taste on his lips. They’ve noticed that Edward always paints them with a flavored lip balm.

“That’s what it is.” Edward’s guess was right. “Well, it’s definitely addicting.” He kisses the doll’s soft silicone lips, again and again, savoring the new flavor upon them.

_“I guess you’re going to have to buy me some,” Oswald mummers and presses his lips to Edward’s again, cupping the nape of his neck to draw him in closer._

Edward lifts the doll’s hand to his neck and scoots a little closer to Oswald. “I will have to do that.” He nibbles on Oswald’s bottom lip. “I promise,” he whispers.

_Oswald can't help but giggle and blush as Edward nuzzles against his freckled cheek. “I know you can't get enough of me, but how about we try some of my mother's Ghoulish.”_

“Mmm…” Edward hums as he continues to nuzzle against the doll.

_“Edward if my mother was here she wouldn't be happy with you.”_

“And why is that?” Edward peppers kisses along Oswald's jawline

_“Because you're not giving her food your full attention,” Oswald says through all of his laughter, tickled pink by the soft sensation of Edward's lips exploring his body. He tries once again to turn Edward's attention to the food by doing a quick impression of what his mother might say if she was at the table with them. “I can hear her voice right now, and do you know what she'd say.”_

“I haven't the faintest idea.” Edward breathes against Oswald's skin, kissing and nibbling endlessly, imagining that he's drawing out more and more giggles from his dolly-boyfriend

_Oswald playfully squirms with a vivid smile that doesn't want to fall off his face. “She'd say….She’d say to you, Edvard get your grubby hands off of my precious boy and eat!”_

“And I'd say, how can I do that when your son looks the way he does?” He cups Oswald's cheek to hold him closer.

_“Oh, Eddie…” Oswald laughs and squirms in his chair again. “I wouldn't be sitting here naked in front of my mother.”_

“I know you wouldn't, but you'd still look sexy.”

_“Oh, my.” Oswald's entire body burns redder than a ripe tomato. “You're so feisty today.”_

“I am a little.” He presses one last kiss on Oswald's neck. He can tell that Oswald's blush is beginning to fade into embarrassment, though there isn't anyone here to be embarrassed for. “But since you cooked this lovely meal and you asked so nicely, I'll stop.”

_“Thank you, my love.”_

“You're welcome, sweetheart. I'll do anything for you.”

_Oswald presses his hands on his heated cheeks to calm himself before serving the food. “My goodness. You're acting like you're ready to have sex or something.”_

After two months together, they've still haven't gone all the way.

“I think I might be ready. With the therapy really helping me, I truly do think I might be ready very soon.”

_“I'm so happy you're feeling more confident in yourself. I'll wait as long as you need.” He takes Edward by the hand. “And you know by me sitting here naked, isn’t me trying to rush you into sex.” He kisses Edward tenderly on the hand. “I just like to tease you.” He winks._

“I know you do.”

It's not like Oswald really has a choice in how Tabitha and Barbara will leave him waiting for Edward to come home. They don't know that Edward hasn't done anything more than oral sex once. They know nothing of Oswald and Edward's sexual relationship, only what they think Edward is doing with the love doll.

Edward takes his hand down from the doll's lips and picks up the serving spoon resting on the table. “I hope you don't mind me serving things up.”

_“I don't mind at all. I love watching the look on your face when you eat my cooking…. I really just love feeding my man,” Oswald says with a bubbly giggle._

“And I love eating it,” Edward replies as he scoops out a large serving of the hot, fresh, Goulash from the crock-pot for himself and a smaller one on Oswald's plate. He then positions a spoon in Oswald's hand and pours from the bottle of red wine that was also left to breath on the table. “Thank you for this delicious looking meal, Oswald.”

_“You have my mother to thank for teaching me the recipe.”_

“I'll be sure to do that the next time she calls.” Edward takes a drink from the glass of wine, then holds his glass up to help the doll with a drink.

_“Good,” Oswald says from behind the rim of his glass, then rests it back on the table. “So, my love, how was your day?” he asks breaking off a piece of the crusty French baguette. His mother always told him it was the best bread for dipping in the hearty stew._

“My day was pretty good actually.” Edward splits the bread between the two of them. “I got through my workload quickly. You know how I thought I'd have to go in this weekend?” He dips his bread into the stew and eats it with a quick following of a warm spoon full. The slow-cooked beef just dissolves in his mouth.

_“Yes.” Oswald nods in understanding, blowing off the steam on his spoon full of stew. “You don't have to anymore?”_

“Nope…. Not anymore.” Edward takes a scoop out of Oswald's bowl to make it appear as if the doll is eating. “I thought to work with someone else would slow me down, but it's been very sufficient.”

_“Well, that's good to hear.”_

“Mhm….” He takes a sip of wine. The robust flavor of the red really complements the hardy beef. “Working with Foxy has been a dream,” he says, without noticing that his words are about to change the entire atmosphere of dinner.

_Oswald blinks and gives Edward a cold glare, as his spoon slips from his hand. “Foxy?” he says in an exasperatingly condescending tone._

The spoon actually fell from the doll’s hand by the force of gravity. It just so happens to occur at exactly the perfect moment.

Realizing his mistake, Edward attempts to make a rebound. “I…. I meant to say Lucius….,” he clears his throat, lightning-quick. “His name is Lucius Fox and I guess I've been calling him Foxy in my head for some reason and that's the first time I actually said it aloud,” he confesses. He doesn't know why he's called Lucius ‘Foxy’ in his mind. Perhaps it's just something he subconsciously thinks is humorous? “It was a slip of the tongue, sweetheart. That's all and I'm sorry.”

_Oswald crosses his arms. “Who is this, Lucius Fox?”_

Edward positions the doll with its arms crossed against its chest, then slumps back in his own chair. “What?” He tips his head slightly to the right and sits up straight. “B-Baby, are you serious?” he stutters, reaching out to soothingly rub Oswald's upper arm. “I talk about him, like, all the time. We work together.”

_“I don't know him.” Oswald turns away with his nose in the air._

“Sweetie, yes… Yes, you do.”

_“I said I don't!” Oswald crashes his fist on the table. “You can't sit there and tell me who I know and who I don't!”_

“What?”  Edward sits back in the chair and throws his hands up, neutralized by Oswald's accusations.  “W-Why are you being this way? Everything was so good just a minute ago.”

_“That was before “Foxy” slipped so casually from your lips!”_

“I said it was an accident.”

_“How many times a day do call him that?” He can't fathom the idea of Edward calling someone else little, sweet, pet names._

“I don't. I promise you that.”

_“I don't believe you!”_

“Oswald, sweetheart.” Edward gets up from his chair and stands behind the doll. He massages Oswald's shoulders to calm his heated temper. “You have to believe me. I don't call him that. It was an accident that I said it and I’m truly, truly sorry. I hate it when you're mad at me. It makes my stomach sink and I get all shaky.”

_“I hate being mad at you, but you do things that infuriate me,” Oswald huffs._

“I'm so sorry, babe.” Edward leans into Oswald wrapping his arms around him and kisses him on the cheek. “I don't mean to do things that infuriate you. I really don't.”

_Oswald takes a deep breath to bring himself back to a more serene state. He really didn't want this dinner to turn into another argument like last week. “Maybe infuriate was too harsh of a word.” He gently rubs Edward's forearm._

Edward moves the doll's hand to rest on his arm. “That was harsh and it hurt a little.”

_“You're not infuriating. I guess I just get easily jealous when you talk about work and meeting all of these seemingly interesting people.”_

“You meet interesting people too. Remember the note you left me two weeks ago about meeting that cat girl. You said she had the instincts of a feline and how much meeting her intrigued you. And not to mention all the children at the orphanage that love you.”

_“Yeah, but it's not the same. We hardly go out together anymore because I'm so busy with my own things like helping out Tabby and Babs with the club or the charity work at the orphanage.”_

When Tabitha and Barbara had a little visit from Selina Kyle, (the cat girl Edward mentioned) at their soon to open club, they were also introduced to Sofia Falcon, the daughter of one of Gotham's most respected businessmen. Miss Falcon had caught word of Gotham's newest citizen—a little doll helping a brilliant lab technician at the GCPD with his mental illness—and thought that the doll could do a little good for the community and to also help bring Oswald more to life, so to speak. She offered Oswald charity work at the new orphanage she opened in hopes that Oswald's boyfriend will allow him to take the job. Edward thought it was a noble gesture for Oswald to spend a few hours a week helping the children and Oswald was more than eager to do more in the city.

Everyone hopes that giving Oswald more of a real life outside of Edward's mind, that it will help Edward in his healing process to live a more mentally healthy life.

_“And you're always at work,” Oswald goes on to say. “I used to know all your friends and now this Foxy guy is a complete stranger to me.”_

“Oh, Oswald, we can change that.” Edward holds him tightly and kisses his shoulder again and again. “If you don't feel like you know him, then why don't you meet him,” Edward suggests. “He's a kind man, who's been nothing but good to me, and he's extremely intelligent. I really do think you might like him.”

_Oswald sighs and rests his head against Edward's.“He treats you right?” he asks. He knows not everyone has always been kind to Edward and that there are still people who insist on continuing their bullying of an ill man._

“He's the only one who always has,”  Edward answers honestly. “He's never talked about me behind my back. He's always been kind from the first time we met, even though I really didn't do the same for him. It just took me some time to trust him.” And the time for Edward to feel comfortable with Lucius came a lot faster than Edward expected. Lucius treats Edward as an equal and he seems to really enjoy the time they spend together. Though it's always been at work, but both men love their jobs. “I respect him and he respects me.”

_“Well, I'm happy to hear that you feel like you can trust him. That's always been one of the things you needed to work on—trusting people.”_

“I know.” He kisses the doll again and again. “Hey.” The perfect idea to really demolish this issue comes back to Edward. “I was going to ask you about something tonight.”

_“What were you going to ask me?”_

“Well, Lucius invited us to join him at a convention this weekend.”

_“Is it one of those nerd things?”_

“Yes,” Edward chuckles. “But you'll still have fun. I told him I'll ask you about it before giving an answer, and since you want to meet him, I think this will be good for us.”

_Oswald takes a moment to think._

Though the jealousy in Oswald is really only Edward’s self-consciousness trying to talk him out of something he really wants to do—actually go out with someone who has a mutual respect for him. Which is something Edward has never done in his life.

_“Okay, Eddie,” Oswald finally agrees they should do it. “I think we should go.”_

“Oh, thank you, Oswald.” Edward smothers Oswald's cheeks with loving kisses over and over and over again. “This is going to be so much fun,” he says between the endless kissing. “Lucius is really amazing.”

_“So I've heard,” Oswald sighs, rolling his eyes, though he does love all the sweet kisses he's being praised with._

Edward kisses Oswald's cheek one last time before pacing to the coffee table to pick up his phone.

_“What are you doing?” Oswald asks. He thought he'd get another hundred kisses before Edward stopped._

“I'm going to call Lucius to let him know we're going before you change your mind”

_“I never change my mind,” Oswald huffs, crossing his arms over his chest._

“Yes, you do.”

## *  
*  
*

Saturday afternoon outside the convention hall for the Global Science and Technology Convention, Lucius waits anxiously for Edward and his boyfriend to join him. He was thrilled when he got the call from Edward yesterday to let him know that they would come. Though he doesn't have a real shot at anything becoming more between him and Edward, he still wants to be a good friend to him. Maybe that's all Edward needs is a friend.

Lucius looks down at his watch and the hour hand strikes the two, then when he looks up he sees that Edward is right on time.

Edward pushes a wheelchair through the crowd of people making their way through the parking lot.

Lucius had no idea that Edward's boyfriend had a disability. Otherwise, he would have offered to meet them at the car to help them through the crowd.

However, Edward is quite used to getting around with Oswald on his own and he makes it through the parking lot almost effortlessly.

“Hey!” Edward says when he catches sight of his lab partner.

Lucius waves at the men and starts to notice that there's something different about the person in the wheelchair as Edward gets closer to him. It isn't Edward's boyfriend’s expensive pinstriped suit that looks to be custom made that catches Lucius’ eye, though the suit is extremely eye-catching…. No… No… It's something else.

“Ugh, finally made it though,” Edward says breathlessly, parking the wheelchair in front of Lucius.

Lucius’ eyes widen.  _“It's a doll.... It's a life-sized man doll sitting in a wheelchair!”_  He dares not to utter these words aloud. He averts his gaze away from the doll and looks Edward squarely in the eye. “Hi,” his voice cracks and he swiftly clears his throat. “Hi,” he says again, this time clearly and more normal than before.

“This is exciting, right?” Edward says with a smile and rests his hands on Oswald's shoulders.

“Yes, it is. I've been waiting for this for months, but I wasn't sure I’d be able to make it if I didn't get the job at the GCPD before it happened.” Lucius says as casually as he can, trying not to be the first one to draw attention to the life-like doll in the chair. “Looks like I lucked out.”

“Looks like you did,” Edward chuckles and rubs Oswald's shoulders. “This is my boyfriend, Oswald,” Edward finally introduces the doll. “We're so happy you invited us. We haven't been out together in a while, so we really needed this.”

Lucius opens his mouth to speak, but no words follow until he forces them out. “I'm…. so glad…. to hear that and I'm very honored to meet you, Oswald.” He slips his hand into his pocket and takes out his phone. “Will you men excuse me for a moment?... I need to text a friend.... I should have done that while I was waiting.”

“That's fine,” Edward says, straightening the collar of Oswald's suit.

“This won't take long, then we can go in.”

“Take your time. We don't mind waiting.”

“Okay… Just a minute.” Lucius turns around and takes a few steps away from Edward and the doll to text someone who he thinks might be able to clear things up for him.

> _«Me: What's wrong with Edward Nygma?»_

Lucius types into his phone and hits the send button. A second later he gets a reply.

> _«J. Gordon: What do you mean?»_
> 
> _«Me: I'm at the convention with him and he came with a doll.»_
> 
> _«J. Gordon: Oh shit! You didn't know?»_
> 
> _«Me: Didn't know what?»_
> 
> _«J. Gordon: Ed is ill. He lives in a delusion that the doll is his boyfriend, Oswald Cobblepot. He goes to therapy so he’s getting help, but everyone goes along and treats the doll like a real person. That's what Dr. Thompkins says is the best thing we can all do for him until he gets better.»_
> 
> _«Me: Why didn't anyone tell me this?»_
> 
> _«J. Gordon: I guess we all thought you knew.»_
> 
> _«J. Gordon: But don't worry about anything. Ed is harmless.»_
> 
> _«Me: I know that.»_
> 
> _«J. Gordon: I've hung out with them before. It's strange, but they're pretty cool. You should stay if you feel comfortable.»_
> 
> _«Me: Of course I feel comfortable around Edward, and I wasn't going to leave. I just needed to know what was going on without asking him and embarrassing him.»_
> 
> _«J. Gordon: Well, now you know.»_
> 
> _«Me: Yeah. Thanks.»_

Lucius turns the phones off and takes a deep breath. Edward may be odder than he already knew, but that doesn't mean they still can't be friends. Edward seems to need them now more than ever.

“Are you guys ready to go in?” Lucius asks as he turns back to Edward and the doll.

“If you're ready, then so are we,” Edward replies.

Lucius steps up to the wheelchair to address Edward's dolly-boyfriend more properly. “I'm so sorry if I seemed a bit rude earlier, Oswald,” he apologizes wholeheartedly and takes the doll's right hand to give it a firm shake. Lucius wasn't rude, he was just in shock. “It's truly a pleasure to meet you.”

_*_

_*_

_*_

Edward, Lucius, and Oswald walk through the convention hall, stopping at various booths to learn of new scientific and technological advances that could be developing in the very near future. It's a full day of learning from how exciting the future of robotic medical equipment could be, all the way to the computer programming of home appliances. There's a wide range of different booths at the convention with something to strike the attention and imagination of anyone.

Throughout the day, Lucius finds himself stepping between people questioning the presence of the life-like doll being pushed around in a wheelchair. He didn't mean to intentionally play referee for Edward. He knows that Edward is a grown man, a brilliant man, who is completely capable of handling strange situations such as this on his own, but Lucius couldn't help but feel like he had to be protective of his friend, and that protectiveness doesn't go unnoticed.

“That guy was rude,” Edward says, as he pushes Oswald towards the booth selling popcorn and soft pretzels. “Staring at us like that like we’re on display for his amusement.”

“You're not on display for anyone's amusement, Ed,” Lucius speaks calmly, walking beside Edward. He’s hardly left his friend's side since entering the building. “You're just being yourself and there's nothing wrong with that.”

“It's just hard sometimes—to be me and for people to accept it.”

“I accept it,” Lucius says honestly. He enjoys Edward's company just the way he is. “And Oswald does too,” he adds.

“I know Oswald does.” Edward places a quick kiss on the crown of the doll's head. People stare and take notice of the affection towards an inanimate object, but Edward doesn't mind their glares and neither does Lucius. “With you saying that,” Edward looks back at Lucius. “I guess that answers my question about you.”

“Oh, come on, Ed,” Lucius chuckles. “There shouldn't have even been a question about that.” He's always accepted and respected Edward, even before he knew some of those rumors he heard about the doll were true to a lesser extent. “Remember that day you spilled the coffee on that bullet fragment analyses we had just finished?”

Edward smiles fondly, remembering that day clearly. It was the week Lucius started spending more time in Edward's lab instead of his own. “We had to it all over again.”

“I could have called it quits and moved back into my own lab, but I don't mind having a clumsy genus around.”

“I can be clumsy at times.” Edward lowers his head bashfully and pushes his glasses up on the bridge of his nose, trying to hide the heated blush blooming on his cheeks.

“Yeah. You could, but it doesn't bother me.” Lucius smiles, noticing the pink tinge spreading across Edward's cheeks and all the way up to the tip of his ears. He thinks that it's adorable.

Edward lifts his head and gets a glimpse of Lucius’ illuminating smile beaming back at him. “Oh, dear...," he says as if the sight took his breath away, then swiftly clears his throat and leans over the doll's shoulder. “Oswald, what kind of soft pretzel do you want?”

_Oswald sighs, rolling his eyes and crossing his arms. “I was wondering when you'd stop flirting behind my back and ask me what I wanted.”_

“W-What?” Edward squints at Oswald, then stands up straight from over his shoulder. “Babe, don't be like that.”

Lucius doesn't know what Edward imagined the doll saying to him, but from Edward's reaction, it doesn't seem good. “Is there something wrong?” he asks.

“No.” Edward quickly answers, but at the same time Oswald blurts out…

_“Yes! Yes, there is!”_

If Oswald wasn't a figment of Edward's imagination, he would have caught the attention of everyone walking around them.  

_“I didn't know this little meeting was going to be you two giggling and sending secret messages back and forth,” he continued his jealous fit._

“Oswald, stop it,” Edward said through clenched teeth. “I would never bring you here to meet him only for me to do that behind your back. That's incredibly selfish, rude, and not to mention, tacky.”

Lucius can only hear one side of the exchange between Edward and Oswald, but he knows enough to figure out what this argument is about. “Look, Oswald.”  He steps in front of the wheelchair and bends down on a knee. “I’m not trying to come between you two. I would never do that to someone in a relationship,” he says sincerely, yet stern, and looks up at Edward for a moment before gazing back at the doll to continue. “I just want to be Edward's friend...and yours.”

Edward gasps softly, but Lucius noticed the sharp intake of breath.

“Ed, are you alright?” he asks, standing back on his feet. “Do you want to talk about it?”

“I'm not used to this,” Edward mutters, eyes misting with tears.

“Not used to what?” Lucius steps closer, restraining himself from taking Edward by the hand.

“Having a real friend,” he answers truthfully. His breathing begins to quicken as his anxiety slowly grows into a panic.

“I don't see why not,” Lucius says to reassure Edward that everyone in his life is looking out for him. “Everyone cares about you, Ed.”

“Everyone only cared after I had Oswald.”  The tear Edward was trying to keep in escapes him and slides down the side of his heated cheek. “But not you.” He tightly grips onto the handles of Oswald's wheelchair. “You've always cared even though you didn't…” He stops mid-sentence, panting heavily from his mouth and starts to back away from Lucius, bring Oswald with him. “I have to go.”

Realizing that he actually had something he had always wanted is a lot more overwhelming than Edward ever expected.

“Wait…” Lucius slowly paces after him. “Don't go.”

“I can't stay in here.” Edward turns around with the chair, putting his back to Lucius. His breathing increases as if the walls are about to close themselves around him.

“Please don't go!” Lucius pleads. He wants to talk this through and help Edward any way he can.

“I can't breathe.” Edward pushes the wheelchair out of the convention hall as quickly as he can without colliding into anyone. He desperately needed the fresh air and time to himself back at home to collect his thoughts about the big changes in his life.

## *  
*  
*

_—Three Hours Later—_

A ringing at the doorbell of the loft prompts Edward to answer to the unexpected visitor.

“Lucius?” he says surprised at the sight of the man standing behind the metal door. He didn't think he'd see this face again today.

“I hope you don't mind me asking Jim for your address,” Lucius says, holding a covered dish. “I was worried about you.”

“I'm fine.” Edward crosses his arms over his chest and looks down at his bare feet, feeling a little embarrassed that Lucius felt to need to check in on him. The day wasn't supposed to end the way it did. “I just needed some time to think. I also called Dr. Thompkins.” He gazes back at the man standing at his doorway.

“That's good,” Lucius says relieved to hear that Edward talked to his therapist. If Ed couldn't talk to him, he needed to talk to someone. “We all need to take a little time to ourselves and meditate on things sometimes.”

“Yeah,” he spoke softly and nodded “I'm—I'm sorry for running out on you earlier.”

“Don't worry about that.”  Lucius doesn't think Edward owns him an apology for something he couldn't control.  “But—” he smiles with a crooked grin— “you could make it up to me.”

“How?”

“Well, I just happen to have this fresh pot of homemade chicken noodle soup to warm your belly and I learned that Oswald's name down at the station was Mr. Penguin.”

“Yeah,” Edward chuckles. “They started calling him that because of one of his suits.”

“Well, I also happen to have a copy of Mr. Popper’s Penguins in my pocket.” He bought the DVD when he went shopping to buy the ingredients for his mother's soothing soup. He knew the soup would be the perfect thing to help Edward relax after his emotional day. “Would you and Oswald mind if this pot of soup, a movie, and myself joined you tonight?” His puppy brown eyes sparkle as he asks.

Edward covers his smile behind his hand. God, he hopes he isn't blushing again. “Oswald might mind a little,” he says once successfully fighting off his blush.  “No one else had ever talked to him the way you had, but he'll get over it once the movie states.” Edward opens the door wider, revealing Oswald sitting on the couch behind him. They were already in the process of finding a movie to watch. “Please come in.” He kindly takes the pot of soup from Lucius’ hands.

“Thank you, Edward,” Lucius says gratefully and steps into the loft for the first time, but this surely won't be his last, and closes the door for Edward. “Hello again, Oswald.”


	7. Edward and Lucius

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After coming over to check up on Edward after his panic attack at the convention, Edward and Lucius spend the night hanging out together. Lucius starts to understand Edward more and about his mental illness—even helping him through another mild panic attack after Edward is unable to hallucinate Oswald to life.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This one is short, but it's very important in building the relationship between Edward and Lucius. I really love the way it came out and how much it shows that they really care for each other as friends. If you enjoy this chapter please like, reblog, or comment. Happy reading! ૮⍝◜•˕̮•◝⍝ა

## Part Seven: Edward and Lucius

Edward has never had another in his home this way—a friend wanting to spend time with him and get to know more about his life outside of work. It's a bit of uncharted territory, but Edward is willing to explore. This is something he's always wanted to happen, but never thought it would.

He takes the pot of chicken noodle soup Lucius brought with him and sits it on the stove to start heating it up slowly. “Please, Lucius, make yourself comfortable.” He turns on the fire and looks under the lid to get a peek at the soup. Looks heavenly.

“Thank you, Edward.” Lucius gazes around the loft and every inch of it screams Edward's personality. It's like a mix between a funhouse and a science lab. Lucius wouldn't have expected Edward's home to look any other way. He then takes off his jacket and lays it over the back of the couch, then takes a seat next to the love doll resting comfortably in a pair of penguin patterned pajamas.

“Would you like a drink?” Edward offers, opening the refrigerator door. “Oswald loves his wine, so we have a few bottles. Or if you're a spirits kind of man I have some rum for a rum and coke, or beer, or tea, or water…”

As Edward started firing off everything he had to drink in the house, Lucius knew that the man was nervous. “Wine is fine since it seems to be Oswald's favorite.”

Edward turns back and looks at Oswald, and strangely enough, Oswald isn't sitting there. The doll is physically there, but there's no life to it. It's really just a beautifully crafted doll taking up space. The hallucination of Edward's boyfriend doesn't sit on the couch next to Lucius. How peculiar for Oswald not to show himself?

Edward blinks shaking his head to clear the blurriness in his eyes before gazing over at Lucius. “I'm more of a rum and coke kind of man myself.” He tries to ignore the fact that Oswald isn't here.

Lucius grins. “Then we should have that.”

“Okay.” Edward quickly gets to work on making the drinks.

Three glasses for three men, even though it seem that Oswald is gone. Edward doesn't want Lucius to think anything unusual is going on between him and Oswald. Which is why he makes three drinks instead of two.

“I really like your place, Edward. It's very unique…very you.”

“Thank you,” Edward says, carrying the drinks to the couch. “Here you go. I don't make them strong.”

“I'm sure it's good.” He kindly takes the glass.”

“It is,” Edward says with a simper and then the coy expression falls from his face as he stares at the lifeless doll. Where is the person who changed Edward's life the instant he stepped into it? “Oswald?” Edward extends the drink to the doll, but his mind still doesn't animate his boyfriend to life.

Instead of trying to force it and possibly end up looking like a jackass, Edward pretends, more than usual and a bit foolishly, that Oswald is in fact there.

“Oh…um…” He nervously cuts his eyes at Lucius. “You. Don't. Want. It?”He looks back at the doll and his hands start to tremble. Oswald never leaves him alone this way.

Lucius instantly notices Edward's off behavior with Oswald. From what he's witnessed at the convention today, Edward is confident and emotionally affectionate with the doll, but now he's acting like he doesn't know it. “Is Oswald not thirsty?” he asks, hoping to clear Edward's confusion.

Rather than lying, Edward tells Lucius the truth, though he doesn't understand why he's doing such a thing. “Oswald isn't here.”

"Mmm..." Lucius nods calmly, takes a drink of his cocktail, then look directly at the doll sitting next to him. “Yes, he is… He's right there.” It defiantly is unusual for Edward to say something like that, so Lucius keels his cool.

Edward sits the glasses on the table, then pinches the bridge of his nose with his eyes closed tightly. “You don't understand,” he says somewhat hysterical.

Lucius looks on with concern. “Then help me understand it.”

“Oswald isn't here…” Edward forces out the words. “He isn't here… He isn't in there.”

“Isn't where?” Lucius questions, a lot more confused about the situation. “In the doll?” He rests his cocktail on the coffee table.

Edward gives his friend a deadpan glare before quickly shaking his head no. “Why would you think he'd be inside the doll?”

“Because.... Because he's…. Oh!” Lucius’ eyes broaden with realization. “He isn't in your mind!” he says, sounding more fascinated than he'd like. He hopes Edward doesn't think he's making light of the situation. He'd never see Edward as a project for his amusement.

“Yes,” Edward answers truthfully.  “He's not there and I don't know why. He never does this.” Panic starts to set in and he paces back and forth.

Lucius scoots to the edge of the couch only watching for a moment, then suddenly stands up and wraps his arms around Edward, holding him tightly against his body.

Edward gasps and his body freezes. Normally he'd squirm away from someone trying to hug him or touch him in any way, but there's something about being in Lucius' arms that's tranquil to him. The exposure therapy to touch has clearly been working for Edward.

“Edward,” he spoke softly, still holding the trembling man. “You're a brilliant man, who's fully aware that he's ill.”

With his arms down at his sides, Edward leans a little more on Lucius as his response.

“I'm starting to understand you and all of this a little more.” Lucius gently breaks their embrace, but keeps his hands still firmly on Edward's shoulders and looks him in the eyes. “I'd like to know if I could speak about that with you freely.”  

Edward remains silent, but he nods to give his consent.

“At first I thought you thought Oswald was in the doll, but he's clearly not and never has been,” Lucius says. “The doll is just the refection of Oswald. The doll is what makes him physical for yourself and everyone else so that we can't deny his existence.”

Edward gazes at Lucius curiously. No one else has ever understood that. No one but Dr. Thompkins.

“I'm not here to psychoanalyze you, Ed. That isn't my job. I’m just your friend.” He smiles, giving Edward a tender squeeze of reassurance on the shoulders. “But I believe I can help you understand why Oswald isn't here.”

Edward tips his head slightly to the right. “Why?” he asks, tears beginning to mist in his eyes.

“Because you don't need him right now.” He cups Edward's cheek, feeling Edward meld into him, completely accepting of his touch. “You have me.”

Edward has never felt the warmth of genuine compassion against his bare skin. The sensation was ethereal. “I think you might be right.” Edward's body trembles, fearful of the unknown. “But what am I supposed to do?”

“You do what you want to do.” Lucius smoothly strokes his thumb over Edward's cheek. At first, he thought it might have been inappropriate to do so, but Edward didn't reject the sweet gesture and Lucius is glad he took that little risk. “Think about yourself.” He drops his hand from Edward's cheek.

Edward looks at the doll still sitting lifeless on the couch and gazes back at Lucius. The sound of both men breathing is all that could be heard while Edward took some time to think about what he wanted to do. “Well—” he licks his lips— “I want to lay Oswald down to bed.” He shuffles to the doll and lifts it from the couch effortlessly, then carries it to the bed. He lays Oswald down gently and covers him with blankets. He'd usually kiss the doll when he lays it down for bed, but since Oswald isn't here, Edward decided not to tonight. He'll give him a big kiss when Oswald returns.

“Then…” Edward continues the list of things he wants to do. “I want to have a few more cocktails.” He smiles, feeling more confident in his choice to be alone with a real friend. “I also want to watch a movie and eat chicken noodle soup, and I want to do it all with you.” He steps closer to Lucius and picks up his drink from the table. “Only you,” he added, doubtlessly.

Lucius chuckles. “That sounds like an incredible evening, Ed.”

Though Lucius doesn't know anything about Edward's mental health—the trauma that pushed an amazing man to the edge and plummeting down the pit of a mental breakdown—he feels proud of him. He feels that this is somehow a huge step to getting closer to a more stable mindset. It seems to be what Edward wants. He knows Edward wouldn't have stared make changes in his life if he didn't want to feel better about himself.

“Oh, but, instead of a movie,” Edward says, excited for the night. He'll miss Oswald, but he can still have fun without him. “We can watch the Twilight Zone.”

“I love the Twilight Zone.”

“I would be offended if you didn't.”  

Edward goes to the kitchen turns the heat off of the chicken noodle soup since he and Lucius won't be diving into it immediately. He makes a few more drinks, with Lucius’ help so they can settle in front of the tv for a while without having to get off the couch to make more. The men then sit next to each other in front of the tube and Edward finds the classic episodes of the Twilight Zone on Netflix.

## *  
*  
*

An hour later, after watching two thirty minutes episodes, Edward pauses the tv. Though he has greatly enjoyed the friendly atmosphere between the two of them, Edward feels the need to get something off his chest.

“Lucius, this isn't a date,” he says plainly.

Lucius looks at Edward. If his complexion wasn't so rich, his cheeks would be rosy pink with a blush. “Oh, oh, I know,” he replies, quite embarrassed by his behavior. He didn't think he was giving out any signs of his innocent crush on his lab partner, but apparently, he has. “I know you love Oswald and I would never get in between that… I promise. I'm not that kind of person.”  

“I know you're not. I guess I just had to say it.”

“I understand. Things have been very emotional between us,” Lucius says sincerely. “I just really admire you, Ed, and I’m sorry if I fail in hiding it. I thought I was better at it. I shouldn't have hugged you or touched your face—me doing that is probably what made you question yourself.”

“Oh, no, it's okay,” Edward assured him that he did nothing wrong. “I'm wasn't bothered when you touched me. Surprisingly, I liked it… I actually really did.” Aside from Oswald, Edward doesn't think he would have said that and meant every word of it to anyone else other than Lucius. He's always hated being touched until he stared the exposure therapy which helped him to enjoy the kind touch of those he's content with.

“Oh, good,” Lucius sighs relieved.  “I only want you to feel comfortable with me.”

“I do.”

Lucius takes pause for a moment, fidgeting with his hand, which is something he never does. He always has more nerves than this. “It's-It's just that you intrigue me—” he gazes back up at Edward— “and I'm fascinated by the enigma that you are,” he spoke honestly, most likely revealing more emotion than intended. “You're brave to conquer the issues in your life. Most people will never find the strength to do that.”  

Edward smiles, looking down at his own hands bashfully. “You think I'm brave?”

“Yes, I really do.”

“Huh…” Edward huffs under his breath, then looks Lucius squarely in his stunning brown eyes. “Thank you.”

“You're most welcome.”

Silence falls between them, but it isn't an uncomfortable one. They're both pleased to have had this conversation.

“Do you think you can handle another episode?” Edward asks, breaking the silence between them.

“I can handle several more,” Lucius answers happily.

“Good!” Edward chuckles and starts the next episode. “So can I.”

They watch episode after episode, drinking rum and cokes, enjoying each other's company and never actually bringing to attention that the night would have to end at some point. However, it eventually does end when both men pass out on opposite sides of the couch.

## *  
*  
*

_—Two Days Later—_

Sitting in his Tuesday afternoon therapy session, Edward talks to Dr. Thompkins about something the weekend had made him quite sure of.

“I think I'm ready to have sex,” Edward says, sitting across from the doctor at the desk. He starts off with this subject right off the bat after only entering the office of Captain Essen—where they have all of their sessions—barely a minute ago.

“Oh, okay.” Dr. Thompkins blinks.

She didn't have this in mind for the subject of today's session. She's thought they'd get more in-depth about his past childhood abuse, which is something Edward still hasn't spoken openly about. They've talked a little about it from time to time, but Edward always stops before saying too much. Lee understands his reluctance to speak about it. It's the root of most of his issues.  

“What made you realize that?” she asks.

“I’ve come to realize that I like being touched by the people I care about,” Edward answers honestly.

“That's quite an amazing breakthrough, Ed.” She gives him a sincere smile. “The exposure therapy has helped you tremendously.”

Edward nods. “Oswald and I had another talk about having sex over the weekend once we were alone again.”

The doctor tips her head curiously to the right. “Alone again?”

He smiles, thinking about his time with Lucius and how he's such a good friend to him. “I had someone over—a friend. We had an unbelievable time together. Oswald even left us alone to just hang out.”

“Wow! I'm so happy for you,” she says genuinely. When she talked to Edward over the phone Saturday afternoon after his panic attack, she didn't think the weekend would result in such an explosive growth with his confidence and body issues.

Edward has never spoken so enthusiastically of a friend during therapy. He has talked about all the people that came into his life to help him—those who helped bring Oswald to life—but never of someone like this. Someone that Edward had spent a significant amount of time with and came out of the experience with a new positivity in his life.

“So, where was Oswald while you were hanging out with your friend?” she asks.

She knows that in reality that the doll was put away out of sight if Edward spent the time with his friend at his loft, but Edward always has a backstory for the things that Oswald does and she is very interested to hear about it

“He went to visit his mother. She was sick Saturday night and he went to take care of her.”  Edward didn't have an explanation for where Oswald went when he didn't show up when Lucius was around, but he thought about one once his mind was able to animate his dolly-boyfriend to life again. “It was only one of those twenty-four-hour bugs and he was back on Sunday.”

Edward chooses to leave out the factual detail about how he wasn't able to hallucinate Oswald that night. He still doesn't really understand it himself, but Lucius’ theory about how Edward didn't need Oswald when they were together might prove itself to be true and Edward is a little afraid of that. It makes him question how the future could be.

“I'm sorry to hear about Oswald's mother.”

“She's fine now,” Edward assures the doctor of his boyfriend's mother's health. “Oswald took very good care of her.”

The doctor writes something down in the notebook in front of her, keeping an organized record of Edward's progress. “I hope you don't mind me asking how you spent the time with your friend?” she asks, after looking back up at Ed. “I'm just so interested to hear about it since there was a time you didn't think you'd have companionship.”

Edward doesn't mind her curiosity at all and happily answers her question. “Saturday, Oswald and I went to a convention with him, then when Oswald's mother got sick we were alone at my place that night. We watch the Twilight Zone and drank rum and cokes before we passed together on the couch,” Edward shares in detail. “He left Sunday morning after we had a breakfast of chicken noodle soup that he brought over with him.”

“Soup for breakfast?” Lee chuckles behind her right hand which is partially covering her smile.

“I know…” Edward turns his head slightly to the right, cheek blooming softly. “It's odd.”

“I think it's sweet.”

He nods in agreement and peeks out the door window, spotting Lucius at Jim Gordon’s desk. “Dr. Thompkins—” he turns back to her— “do you mind if we end this early?”

“I don't mind, but I'd like to know why?”

“Oswald's at home. He insists on staying home when I have therapy so that he's there to comfort me. I promised him that I wouldn't leave him alone all day.”

“I remember you telling me that he doesn't work on those days.”

“We’re both really happy with the way our relationship is progressing forward and we just really want to spend the day together.”

“There's nothing wrong with that.” She closes her notebook. “I won't keep you.”

“Thank you, Doctor.” He stands from the chair and shuffles out of the office, passing by Lucius at Jim’s desk.

Lucius takes notice of Ed walking past him and quickly ends his conversation with the officer. He paces behind Edward until he catches up with him and walks beside him. He smiles brightly when Edward turns to look at him.

“What are you doing?” Edward asks, trying not to chuckle too much. The expression on Lucius' face is cartoonishly silly.

“Following you.”

“I can see that.” Edward's laughter escapes him and he stops walking in front of the lab door.

“How was your session?” Lucius asks.

“It's was good.”

“I'm happy it was.” He opens the door for Edward. “I know your heading home, but I just wanted to check up on you before you left.”

“That's very kind of you.”

“I also wanted to know if we could all get together this weekend? Maybe you and Oswald could come to my house?” Lucius hopes to cook them dinner and possibly watch the movie they didn't watch on Saturday night.

“Oh, well, umm…” Edward nervously scratches the back of his neck. “Oswald and I have something very big happening this week and I'm not sure if we'll be getting out of the house.”

“I see.” Lucius blinks and the hopefull radiance fades from his face, disappointed to hear the rejection. “I completely understand. Maybe next time.”

Edward wants to spend the time with Lucius, but he and Oswald are planning to take another huge step in their relationship. He hesitates for a moment but eventually says what's on his mind. “Well, on second thought.” He realized that making love for the first time doesn't have to put a hold on their social life. “I think we will join you. I'm curious about seeing your place.”

“Are you sure?” Lucius asks to make sure Ed didn't change his mind just because his face made some pathetic expression. “I thought you had something big planned.”

“We do, but it's not going to take all week.”  Edward chuckles at the thought of having sex for an entire week. How exhausting. “We can meet you at your house.”

“That's really great!” Lucius exclaimed with a bit more excitement than intended and he swiftly clears his throat in an attempt to cover it “Umm, I'll give you my a dress at the end of the week,” he says plainly.

Edward does notice Lucius’ fail attempt not to appear so delighted, but he doesn't address is so that he doesn't embarrass him. “Okay.”

“This all sounds good,” he replies. “I'll let you get going. I wouldn't want Oswald to start worrying about you.”

“He is a worrier.”

“I know.” Lucius got a glimpse of Oswald's worrying at the convention on Saturday. “Well, I'll see you here tomorrow then.”

“You will.” Edward nods, giving Lucius a smile before stepping into the lab to gather his belonging.

Lucius follows and sits at the table. He doesn't have a half day like Edward, so he still has today's work to complete.

Edward puts on his overcoat as he walks to the door. He suddenly stops and turns back to face Lucius and acts upon an urge itching for him to do. “I cost nothing but I'm worth everything,” he starts to recite a riddle as a smile stretches on his face. “I weigh nothing but I can last a lifetime. Not one person can own me, but two or more can share me. What am I?”

Lucius immediately knows the answer and doesn't hesitate to say it with a vivid smile on his own face. “You are friendship.”

“Correct!” Edward says, impressed by how quickly Lucius knew the answer. He then leaves the lab and heads home to his dolly-boyfriend.


	8. Being in Love is Awkward

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Edward and his dolly-boyfriend, Oswald, were invited to dinner and a game night at Lucius’ place. Edward strays between the lines of platonic friendship and romantic interests with Lucius, which results in compactions for them both. Later that night, Edward and Oswald “lose” their virginity to each other.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Back on the train of updating things I haven't in a while. I HAVEN’T UPDATED THIS IN SIX MONTHS! And It’s my favorite fic to write too. I LOVE THIS CHAPTER! Edward and Lucius are WAY too adorable. Oswald and Edward are drop-dead cute, but this chapter has its bittersweet moments. It touches on Edward’s loneliness and how inexperienced he is in the real world when it comes to relationships. Please like, reblog, or comment if you enjoyed it. I’d love to know what you think. Happy reading!

## Part Eight: Being in Love is Awkward

Edward’s work week progressed quite quickly since he was really looking forward to the weekend with Oswald and Lucius. Though he’s excited, he’s also very nervous about taking another huge step in his relationship with Oswald. They’ve made plans this week to express their love by giving each other their bodies for the first time.

In reality, Edward wouldn’t technically lose his virginity to the love doll, but he’ll always think of Oswald as his first. Using the doll for its intended purpose could be good practice for when Edward has a chance to be with a real person who would care about him as deeply as Oswald.

## *  
*  
*

It’s Saturday evening as Oswald and Edward dress for a night at Lucius’ house. He had invited the men to join him for dinner and a few board games tonight.

Edward finishes buckling his brown leather belt and turns to Oswald, who’s sitting in the wheelchair. “Oswald, why are you wearing that?” He complains, though he was the one who picked out the pinstriped suit with the waistcoat and tail, then dressed the doll in it. “This is a casual dinner and game night. You don’t always have to dress up like the mob boss who runs a club.”

_“But I do run a club,” Oswald says slyly, straightening the collar of his suit. “I help manage one with Tabitha and Barbara, remember?”_

“How can I forget?” Edward rolls his eyes as he cleans the lenses of his glasses and then puts them back on. “But this isn’t a time to get all dressed up. You might get something on your suit. Getting it cleaned won’t be cheap since you’ve obviously haven’t fathomed how expensive custom tailoring is.”

_“You didn’t even have to mention that,” Oswald argues back. He makes one mistake and now he’s never going to hear the end of it. “You know I’ve already started paying you back.”_

Tabitha and Barbara thought up a plan to make Oswald’s job at the club seem a little more real. Rather than just handing Edward money for the doll doing absolutely nothing, they’d owe him the cash. So they took Oswald shopping this week and Edward gave them his credit card to buy Oswald a new outfit. The women purposely got a little carried away with the custom suit, but they promised Edward that they would pay it all back through Oswald’s work at the club. Oswald’s first check was a little over five hundred dollars and the woman handed the money to Edward personally. They get a lot of fun out of playing the life-sized dolly game with Oswald. It doesn't harm Edward’s recovery in any way... But it may harm his pocketbook every once in a while.

“I know… I know,” Edward sighs and pushed down his anger. He isn’t really angry at Oswald. He’s actually just nervous about the night with Lucius and he’s projecting it all on the love doll. “I just want you to be comfortable tonight. That’s all.”

_“Well, I’m comfortable, Eddie. You don’t have to worry about me.” Oswald assures._

“Okay,” Edward says and steps behind the wheelchair, pushing Oswald towards the door. “If being dressed like a penguin makes you comfortable then I’m fine with that.”

_“Good. Because I wasn’t changing.”_

“I knew you weren’t,” Edward chuckles and kisses the doll on the cheek. “Please be good tonight. The way you acted at the conversation was embarrassing.”

_“I thought you guys were flirting behind my back. You know I get jealous.”_

“I know, but I would never do that, Oswald. Lucius is just my friend and I like him very much. You have your friends and I don’t do anything to jeopardize your relationships with them.”

_“I know, Eddie.” Oswald reaches up and cups Edward’s cheek._

Edward laid the doll's hand against his face.

_“I’m sorry I embarrassed you. I’ll never do it again. I actually like Lucius. He’s a really nice guy.”_

“He’s an amazing guy and he really cares about me. I want to be friends with him for a long time.”

_“You will, Eddie. I promise.” He kisses Edward sweetly on the lips._

Edward leaned in and presses his lips against the doll’s soft silicone flesh, tasting the watermelon lip balm he put on Oswald when he dressed him.

_“Mmm,” Oswald hums, nipping at Edward’s luscious bottom lip. “We’re going to have so much fun tonight.”_

“We are.” He helped himself to one more kiss. “Are you ready to go?”

_“Yes.” Oswald nods._

“Oh, wait!” Edward made a quick dash to the kitchen. “We almost forgot the cookies you made.” He picks up the box of peanut butter chocolate chunk cookies, then rests them on the doll's lap.

_“We don’t want to forget these.” Oswald peeks under the box’s lid. The cookies look just as delicious as they did when he made them. He was happy to find out that Edward had the perfect recipe._

Edward spent an hour in the kitchen baking the cookies from a recipe he made for the GCPD bake sale several years ago. They were so delicious that they sold out in mere moments. Since Lucius didn’t work at the station at the time, Edward thought they would be a perfect welcoming gift.

“Now, no snacking until we get there.” Edward slides open the heavy metal door of the loft. “I know how insatiable your sweet tooth can be.”

_“I can hold off on eating them,” Oswald promises. “Scouts honor.”_

“Oswald, you were never a scout,” Edward snorts, pushing the wheelchair out into the hall.

_“I wanted to at one time, but mother was very protective of me going out camping. She was always worried about bears getting me.”_

“There aren’t any bears in Gotham.”

_“I know, but you can’t tell my mother that.”_

Edward smiles, as he closes the door and locks it. “I love that woman.”

## *  
*  
*

*knock, knock, knock*

At the sound of his guests at the door, Lucius quickly tops the homemade pizza with freshly grated mozzarella cheese and wipes his hands on the kitchen towel to open the door.

*knock, knock, knock*

“I’m coming, Edward,” Lucius says as he tucks in his shirt and checks his appearance from his reflection on the balcony door. He doesn’t know why he’s so nervous. This isn’t a date or anything like that. It’s only three men getting together for pizza and games. So why are his hands so jittery and sweaty? At least his hair is perfect.

*knock, knock…”

Lucius hurries over to the front door and opens it to find Edward on the other side with his hand in a fist about to knock again. “I'm so sorry to keep you waiting. I was in the kitchen.”

“That’s alright, Lucius. We didn’t mean to rush you.”

“You’re fine. I wasn’t rushed at all.” He opens the door wider. “Please come in. I’m so glad both of you could make it.”

“Thank you for inviting us,” Edward says gratefully, pushing the wheelchair into the apartment. “We’ve been looking forward to this all week.”

“So have I,” Lucius says with a smile and gazes down at the doll in the chair. “Hello, Oswald. It’s nice to see you again. I hope we can get along better this time.”

_“We can. Last time was a little misunderstanding and I’m sorry about that._

Lucius stares at the doll, blinking. Unsure if Edward was going to translate anything Oswald has to say. He does notice the box on Oswald’s lap. That has to be a clue as to what he could do next. “Oh, Oswald, is this for me?” He picks up the box.

“Oswald worked very hard on those. They’re his apology for what happened before,” Edward explains.

“This is a lovely surprise.” Lucius opens the box and finds a fresh batch of cookies. “But you don’t have to apologize for something you couldn’t control.”

_“I insisted on it.”_

“I told him he didn’t have to.” Edward rests his hands on the doll’s shoulders. “But he insisted on it.”

Lucius smiles at Edward and then down at the doll. This isn’t as strange as he thought it would be. He’s finding it quite simple to carry a conversation between the three of them. “Thank you, Oswald. They smell amazing and will be the perfect dessert for tonight.”

“What is for dinner, if you don’t mind me asking?” Edward’s stomach growls from the delicious aroma thick in the single bedroom apartment. “It smells incredible in here.”

“Well, I’ve made a chicken pizza with a creamy garlic sauce, mushrooms, spinach and tomato as the toppings. No onions, of course.” He was pretty proud of himself about his last comment.

Edward’s cheeks bloom with color and he timidly scratches the back of his neck. “So you’ve noticed that,” he says with a short, breathy laugh.

“I’ve witnessed you picking out onions from your lunch at least once a week.”

“Are you stalking me?” Edward asks, playfully.

“Of course I am,” Lucius jokes.

He only noticed these little quirks about Edward because of his crush on him. He wants to get to know Edward more personally and only hopes that someday Edward might feel the same about him. He understands that Edward is in a complicated relationship at the moment, but Lucius is willing to wait for a time when he truly catches Edward’s eye.

“That was only a joke, Oswald,” he says with a smile. “Don’t worry. I’m not really stalking your man.”

Edward snickers, covering his toothy grin with his right hand.

_“I knew that,” Oswald huffs._

“Oh, Oswald,” Edward sighs. “Don’t be a sourpuss. It was funny,” he laughs and kisses the doll on the crown of his head.

_“I’m not a sourpuss,” Oswald pouts._

“I know you’re not,” he says in a gentle croon, kissing the doll on the head again.

Lucius smiles. Edward is so kind and loving to Oswald. How anyone could drive such a sweet and compassionate person into a devastating mental breakdown is beyond his comprehension. Edward should really be loved and taken care of in the same manner he does for Oswald.

“Why don’t you guys get settled in?” Lucius chimes in. “I’m just going to take the cookies into the kitchen and finish up the pizza.”

“Do you need any help?” Edward asks, pushing Oswald’s chair closer to the couch.

“The pizza is already put together, I only have to bake it, but you can pour some wine.”

“Alright.” Edward locks the wheels of the chair.

“Oswald, I hope you like white wine,” Lucius says as he takes the box of cookies into the open kitchen. “I thought it would go well with the pizza.”

_“Oh, I prefer red, but I love white as well.” Oswald gets up from the wheelchair and sits on the couch. “I agree that it will fare better with the pizza you made.”_

Edward picks up the doll and sits him comfortably at the end of the coffee-colored leather couch.

Knowing about the wine that Edward keeps in his refrigerator at home, Lucius knew that Oswald would possibly agree to like any kind of wine. So he carries on the conversation with the doll without any interpretation from Edward. “Good. I had a feeling you would, Oswald. I picked up one of my favorites for tonight.” He then turns his back away from the living room and completes the final touches on dinner.

Edward gasps silently when Lucius kept the conversation going on with Oswald without actually hearing his hallucination’s reply. No one has ever done that. How interesting. He clears his throat as he puts Oswald’s hair back in order. It fell out of place when he moved the doll to the couch; an obvious sign that he didn’t use enough hairspray when he styled Oswald’s hair for tonight.

“Oswald, why don’t you put the chessboard together while I pour the wine?” Edward suggests, scooting the board on the coffee table in front of the doll.

_“I don’t know how to play chess, Eddie.”_

“It’s okay. Lucius and I will teach you. Here….” He takes his phone out of his pocket and searches for a picture of the proper way to set up a game of chess. “You set up the game—“ he puts the phone in the doll’s right hand— “just like that.”

_“Okay.”_

Edward removes a few pieces off the board which Lucius had already set before their arrival, then joins their host in the kitchen.

Lucius tops the pizza with salt and fresh ground black pepper, then the final topping of fresh basil leaves.

“That looks and smells amazing and it’s not even cooked,” Edward compliments, walking behind Lucius to get to the refrigerator.

“Thank you,” he says modestly, blushing, though his complexion is too rich to physically tell. However, his coy smile and the gleam in his eyes expressed his emotions expertly. “I’m not much of a cook, but I can follow recipes pretty well.”

Edward takes the bottle of white wine out of the fridge and rests it on the center island counter. “That’s exactly how you learn to cook.”

“That’s very true.” Lucius takes three wine glasses out of the cabinet above him and puts them on the counter in front of Edward. “There you go.”

“Thanks.” He carefully pops out the cork.

As Lucius bends over to put the pizza into the oven, Edward can’t seem to keep his eye off of him - noticing things about his lab partner’s body that he’s never taken notice of before.

“Do you do yoga?” Edward asks, immediately wincing in embarrassment that he actually ask that question. He quickly focuses on filling the glasses before Lucius stands up straight from the hot oven.

“What?” Lucius chuckles, closing the oven door.

Oh, great. Now Ed has to go along with it.

“Y-yoga… do you take yoga classes? Oswald and I were kinda looking into taking some,” Edward lies. He’s never thought about taking a class in his life. For some reason, he was curious about how physically fit Lucius was. He never wonders that sort of thing about people.

Lucius faces Edward, grinning from ear to ear. Edward has suddenly become interested in something other than pizza and wine. “No,” he answers honestly. “I don't take any classes, Ed.”

Edward nods and takes a sip from his glass. “Oh,” he says from behind the brim and passes Lucius his glass before picking up Oswald’s. “Well, alright then.” He quickly shuffles out of the kitchen before he finds himself gawking at other body parts.

Lucius snickers under his breath and follows Edward into the living room.

Edward smiles at the doll as he sits next to him and replaces the pieces he removed from the board back to their proper place. Oswald did an incredible job following the guide on the phone.

“I did run track, though,” Lucius commented, sitting in the chair just off to the side of the couch. “I did it in high school and a little bit in college, but it wasn’t my main focus. I still run sometimes to stay fit.”

“Oh, I see.” Edward takes a sip from Oswald’s glass and puts it in the doll’s hand. “I’m just a lab technician and Oswald is a club manager, so we don’t do much for physical health. We kinda just loaf around, but we try to eat healthy whenever Oswald can control his sweet tooth.”

_“I think I have pretty good control of my sweet tooth.” Oswald drinks from his glass and drapes his arm around Edward’s shoulders._

Edward takes another gulp from Oswald’s glass— his last one before dinner— and sits it on the table before wrapping the doll’s arm around himself. “If you did you wouldn’t be complaining about the extra pounds you put on since moving in with me…. Which I don’t mind at all. I love every inch of you.” He nuzzles against Oswald’s freckled cheeks.

The doll, of course, has not gained any more weight since it was manufactured.

“I think that’s very sweet of you, Ed. Some people would find it hard to take their partner gaining weight,” Lucius says. It would never bother him if the person he loved put on a little weight. He only mentioned it for the sake of the conversation, and also to not highlight the extravagant lengths Edward takes to make the doll seem real. It was very odd, but it was also fascinating to see how Edward’s mind works.

“I wouldn’t find it hard,” Edward replies. “I try to find beauty in people’s physical flaws.”

“That’s a good way to look at things. Everyone has something about their bodies that they're not satisfied with.”

“Do you?” Edward asks curiously. He knows he has grievances about his body, but Lucius couldn't possibly have them about his own. _Foxy is perfect._ “You just seem like a man that’s perfectly comfortable in his own skin. I could never imagine you having something about yourself that you wish you could change.”

“I do actually,” he answers truthfully. “When I was a kid I was riding my bike and I was hit by a car. I didn’t break anything, fortunately, but my body flew to the other side of the street and my right thigh scraped across the concrete. It ripped through my pants and tore through my skin. It burned like hell for weeks. I bare those scars today and I’m self-conscious about it. So I never wear shorts.”  

Edward blinks, processing Lucius’ story. He never once thought that Lucius was hiding physical scars, just like himself. “I’m sorry that happened to you, Lucius. Maybe one day you’ll just say ‘to hell with this’ and put on that pair of shorts. I bet you’d look fabulous in them.”

“Maybe someday I will.” Lucius smiles, drinking from his wine. He’s never told that to anyone who didn't know him as a child. “So what about you, Ed?” He asks, lowering the glass from his lips. “Anything you wish you could change?”

Edward shifts in his seat and lays his hand on Oswald’s leg. This will be hard for him to say, but he wants Lucius to know. “I… um…” He licks his lips and gently rubs Oswald’s leg for comfort.

_“It’s okay, Eddie.” Oswald touches his head to Edward’s. “You can tell him.”_

Edward tips his head so that it touches the doll. “I… um… I have, uh, scars on my back… My f-father gave them to me.”

Lucius’ heart sank to the pit of his stomach. He knew that Edward had suffered from verbal abuse from co-workers before he started working at the GCPD—he’s witnessed it himself after he found out about the doll. Though verbal abuse is just as damaging, he always hoped that Edward’s pain wasn’t from physical abuse as well. Now his relationship with Oswald makes a hell of a lot more sense. Edward must have had a fear of touch.

“That’s devastating, Ed. No one should have to live through that.”

“I know, but we don’t have to discuss it here,” he says, biting back the emotion in his voice. “I’m working through all of that in therapy.”

“Okay.” Lucius nods. “We never have to talk about anything you don’t what to.”

“Thank you.”

The men sit in silence for a moment, drinking their wine, unsure of where to take their conversation after talking about something that weighed heavily on both of them. Luckily enough the sound of the oven will help move things along.

“It sounds like the pizza is ready,” Lucius says, breaking the silence between them.

“It smells so amazing.”

“I’ll go take it out, let it cool a bit, and we can have a few slices while we play chess.”

“Sounds like an excellent plan,” Edward agrees, lacing his fingers with Oswald’s. “Oh, and we have to teach Oswald how to play.”

“Of course we do.” Lucius moves from his seat, collects the wine glasses and takes them with him into the kitchen.  

As Lucius takes the pizza out of the oven, Edward kisses Oswald on the cheek and whispers sweetly to him. “Thank you for reminding me that it was okay to tell Lucius. He wants to know the real me and I want to show that to him. I’m lucky that you’re so supportive of me opening up to him.”

_“You don’t have to thank me. I can tell how much he cares about you. You should be able to open up to him. He’s a really good friend to you.”_

“He is…. He’s as good of a friend as you are.” He turns the doll’s head to him and kisses Oswald gently on the lips.

_“Mmm,” Oswald hum. “You better slow down on that. We’re not at home.”_

“We’ll be there later,” he says with a wink. Edward then turns around, sitting with his knees on the couch cushion, and watches Lucius in the kitchen.

Though he was next to his dolly-boyfriend, Edward couldn’t help but be captivated by Lucius once again. He looked so comfortable in the kitchen. What Lucius had said about his cooking skills earlier didn't quite sit right with Edward now. “Are you sure you’re just a novice in the kitchen?”

Lucius looks up from cutting the pizza and finds Edward sitting on his knees on the couch. He looked like a child standing on their toes trying to peek over the candy counter. “Yes, I am merely a novice in the kitchen.”

“You could’ve fooled me with the way you wield that knife.”

He chortles at Edward comment. It seemed a bit flirty, but he knows that wasn’t what it was. “I took one year of med, so I’ve held a scalpel or two.”

“That strangely makes sense.”

“Good... Because it’s the only excuse I have.”

Lucius kept the pizza on the wood cutting board and refilled the wine glasses. Using the board as a serving tray, he carefully takes the food and drinks into the living room so that they can eat while playing a game of chess.

As the game progresses, Edward and Lucius teach Oswald the rules of the game, the direction each piece can move, and their own personal strategies on how to win. Lucius even played a game with Oswald, while Edward made each move for the doll. He played for Oswald like a beginner and not like the expert tournament champion that he truly was. Lucius obviously won the game and he understood why it was such an easy win because it was Oswald who was his opponent.

After Oswald and Edward’s game, Lucius gathers up all the dishes and takes them to the kitchen to be washed.

Wanting to help Lucius with the mess, Edward downloads a chess game on his phone so Oswald can practice while they were gone. “I put it on easy for you, babe.”

_“I never knew how fun this game was.” Oswald takes the phone and starts playing on the device._

“It’s not just a game. It’s a way to build intelligence.” He puts the phone in the doll’s hand and kisses his forehead before helping Lucius wash up.

Edward takes the kitchen towel from the handle of the oven door and stands next to Lucius by the sink. “Hey you,” he says and takes a wine glass out of the empty side of the sink. He rinses all the suds from it before drying.

“Hey,” Lucius replies, washing another glass. “We don’t have to stop drinking. I was only making sure our glasses were clean for another round.”

“Mhm…” Edward hums with a nod and continues drying the glass.

He’s never been good at this. Never has Edward thought he’d have the confidence to attempt anything like what he’s about to do. With the therapy, the encouragement from the people in the community, and dating Oswald, Edward thinks that he’s ready to try.

When Lucius rests his right hand on the edge of the sink while he grabs the cutting board to wash, Edward gently brushes the back of his hand over Lucius’ then hooks his pinky finger around his.

Lucius gasps and drops the cutting board into the water, but luckily it didn’t splash much. He looks up at Edward, eyes wide with awe, as his body trembles from the unknown.

With his little finger still interlocked with Lucius’, Edward pulls him away into a little nook by the refrigerator - unseen from the view of the living room.

“Edward, what’s this about?” Lucius ask. Though he’s loving every passing moment, he doesn’t like being in the dark.

“You can touch me,” He whisperers, lifting Lucius’ wet hand to cup his cheek.

“Oh, Ed, are you sure this is okay?”

He could feel Edward shivering under his touch. Edward was so scared, but he was the one making all the moves - going through with his own decisions to get what he wanted. Ed expresses a confidence Lucius has never seen in him before.

“Is this really what you want?” Lucius asks to make absolutely sure. He doesn’t want to do anything Edward isn’t ready for.

Edward nods, planting a hand on Lucius’ hip, drawing him in closer. His heart pounds in his narrow chest as he speaks the words he never thought he’d say to another. “Will you give me my first real kiss?”

Lucius swallows hard and he licks his lips, fighting off the urge to immediately pull Edward into him. “Edward, I need you to know that I didn't expect this. I had no expectations about tonight.”

“I know you didn’t. I could tell,” Edward says in a gentle, highly expressive croon.

Lucius only wanted to show Edward a good time and that’s exactly what he did.

Having so much fun with Lucius and feeling safe in his presence had allowed Edward to let some of his walls down. Edward thought it would be something they both needed if they released some of the tension that had buildup between them. “So will you kiss me?” He asks again.

This time without any hesitation, Lucius answers, “Yes.” He then quickly cups Edward’s pale cheeks with both hands, licking his lips as he gazes into those breathtaking chocolate eyes. He’s never seen eyes so full of confidence. Lucius slowly leans in, gently brushing his nose over the tip of Edward’s before pressing their lips together - finally sharing the same breath as one.

Edward stiffens when Lucius oh so gently claimed his lips with his own. His body then starts to shiver as he rests his hands on his lab partner’s shoulders, melding into the euphoric kiss. He closes his eyes and gets a deeper taste of those pillowy lips.

“Mmm…” Edward hums delicately, moving his hands from Lucius’ shoulders to the nape of his neck. “Mmm…” He vibrates again. This feels so different and new. Instead of tasting the mute flavor of silicone— which is the reason why Edward always paints Oswald’s lips with a flavored balm— Edward tastes wine and warm garlic breath, which he doesn’t mind since they’d both eaten garlic. The kiss was still unbelievable.

Slowly, Lucius starts to break off their kiss, nibbling tenderly on Edward’s pink bottom lip before finally ending their connection.

When their lips parted Edward sighed and spoke the only thought that was on his mind. “It was so wet,” he breathed, lips still lingering over Lucius’. He opens his eyes to find his lab partner gazing dotingly at him.

“A real kiss is supposed to be a little wet,” Lucius chuckles, tenderly stroking his thumb over Edward’s smooth cheek.

“I—I liked it,” Edward whispers, blushing redder than a fresh strawberry.

“I was hoping you would.”

Edward’s heart raced as he gazes into Lucius sparking brown eyes. He’s never noticed how stunning they were before. And that kiss?….. The kiss was more enchanting than anything he imagined - far too ethereal to have happened to him. His high on the kiss, however, doesn't last long.

“I… um….” Edward is suddenly at a loss for words as his mind starts to cloud with guilt. Kissing another is something he knows should never happen while in a loving relationship with someone else.

Feeling shame for breaking Oswald’s trust, Edward steps back and pulls himself out of Lucius’ embrace, lightly pushing the other man away from him. His body starts to quiver and his vision blurs - disbelief in what had transpired between them. What _he_ had completely lead on. He blinks trying to clear his vision, panting for breath as if he’s running out of air.

“Edward, are you okay?” Lucius asks, concern in his voice, and he moves back to widen the gap between them. He thinks it’s best not to try to touch Edward again.

He closes his eyes and begins to do the breathing exercises Dr. Thompkins has shown him to help with his anxiety.

“That’s good, Ed. Focus on your breathing,” Lucius encourages.

After a moment, Edward calms himself from the panic attack and opens his eyes, seeing much clearer now. Seeing how wrong and unprepared he was. Seeing how he wasn’t ready for any of that at all.

“We—we can’t tell Oswald what we did.”

“Oh, okay?” Lucius says surprised, tipping his head slightly to the right. Those weren’t the first words he expected to hear after coming out of the breakdown. “I guess it never happened if that’s what you want.”

Though it pains his heart to pretend the best thing to happen to him in months never happened, Lucius is willing to do just that for Edward’s well-being. He’ll do anything to help ensure mental stability for his friend, even if that means a little heartbreak, but he won’t be played like a pawn in his wait.

“I understand that you’re ill, Ed, but please don’t pull my string like a puppet.” He thought what they had was finally becoming real.

Edward’s brows furrow and his eyes start to water. This isn’t where he thought this road would lead. “I—I didn’t mean to.”

“I know you didn’t mean to, and that’s why I’m not upset as much as I could be. You’re new to this and you need to be aware that my feelings aren’t just in your head. They’re as real as that kiss, which we’ll both claim didn’t happen.” Lucius was bitter about that last bit, but what else could he really do about it?

“I’m sorry, Lucius,” Edward says, shameful of his actions. He knows better than to treat people like playthings for practice.

“I know you are and it’s okay.” Tears burn in his eyes as he keeps them from staining his cheeks. “I—I just need a minute and I’ll be back.”

“Okay.”

Lucius left Edward alone in the kitchen to go into his bedroom and stop himself from crying.

Edward returns to the living room, feeling a hollowness in his stomach. It was a gut-wrenching thing he’s done, breaking someone’s heart and smashing their hopes. Exploring uncharted territory was more challenging than he had expected. He thought he was learning these lessons from the doll.

_“Eddie, are you alright?” Oswald asked. The look on Edward’s face is a cause for alarm. “You look like you’ve seen a ghost.”_

“I think I have…. I think I’ve seen a ghost of myself.” He sits next to the love doll.

_“What does that mean?”_

“I don’t know.” Edward shrugs his shoulders. He really had no idea what it meant. “But I’m not a perfect person, Oswald. You know that, right?”

_“Of course I do. Nobody’s perfect,” he answers. Even though he was confused as to why Edward returned with so much self-doubt._

“Do you think people can be?... Perfect?”

_“Probably not… We can only be the kind of perfect that’s best for us. My mother told me that once.”_

“Your mother is a lovely woman.”

_“I know.”_

When Lucius returned from the bedroom, Edward kindly excused himself and stood to meet with Lucius in the hall.

“I’m so sorry. I didn’t mean to treat you like a puppet,” he spoke softly so Oswald couldn’t hear. “That’s not the kind of person I want to be.”

“Everyone makes mistakes and we learn from them,” Lucius whispers. “I hope that you can learn from yours.”

“I have. I care too much about you to hurt you.” Edward took Lucius’ hands and held them desperately against his chest. He’s his best friend, aside from Oswald, the most loyal friend he’s ever had. Ed isn’t ready to lose him yet. “Can we still be friends?”

“Yes, Edward, we can still be friends. What happened wasn’t something that would instantly make me hate you,” Lucius explains wholeheartedly. “You just did something you weren’t really for and that’s okay. I’m willing to wait for the day when you are.”

Edward closes his eyes and a tear runs down his cheek. “You’re too good for me,” he whimpers, bottom lip wobbling

“Shhh, don’t cry.” He softly shushes him, wiping the tear from his cheek. “You don’t want Oswald to know, right?”

“No, I don’t.”

“So you should keep calm.”

“Okay.”

“Now, I want you to promise me something,” Lucius adds.

“Anything,” Edward agrees.

“Please talk about this in therapy.”

“I will. I promise.”

“Good.” Lucius smiles and squeezes Edward’s hand before letting it go. “Come on. Let’s go back to having fun.”

## *  
*  
*

Though the night had its complications, the men were able to continue to have a good time. They played various board games, like The Game of Life, and card games, like Uno, before Edward and Oswald, took their leave. Edward wanted to get back home before it got too late or anything else became awkward.

Lucius felt more alone when Edward left. He would have been much better off without that kiss tonight. Now he’ll spend his night reliving that moment, remember the taste of Edward’s breath, the feeling of his hand gently scratching the back of his neck, replaying the words ‘it was so wet,’ like a broken record spinning in his mind. He’ll get some sleep, nevertheless, and how could he not? Each passing day is a day closer to the guilt-free recreation of that bittersweet kiss.

## *  
*  
*

Back at the loft, Edward had gotten himself and the doll out of their clothes. Since Oswald sleeps naked, Edward didn’t have to put anything else on him tonight. Only a pair of pajama pants for himself.

Now laying in his bed next to the love doll, Edward is feeling restless - events of tonight flashing through his thoughts. What a passionate moment he and Lucius shared together. Though it wasn’t perfect, he still thought it was beautiful and incomparable to anything he has ever experienced.

_“Eddie, you’ve been a little awkward since you helped Lucius with the dishes tonight. Are you alright?” Oswald asks, rubbing his hand over Edward’s chest._

“Yes, I’m fine.” Edward holds the doll’s hand and turns his head to look Oswald in his sea-green, glassy, eyes. “I just love you so much. That’s all.”

_“I love you too,” Oswald returns his boyfriend’s affections. “If there was something wrong with you, you’d tell me, right?”_

“Absolutely,” he whispers and kisses the doll, searching for that organic sensation he felt with Lucius. However, it never appears and he breaks the kiss a little earlier than he had liked. “Do you think something has changed with us?”

_“People change all the time. There’s nothing wrong with it.”_

Edward sighs and looks up at the ceiling. “That’s not the answer I was looking for.”

_“So what do you want me to say?”_

“Nothing… nothing.” He slowly shakes his head. “It’s not your fault.”

Edward lays there on his back and he slips his hand out of Oswald’s loose grip. He closes his eyes as his mind begins to wonder. 

> _Edward finds himself back in Lucius’ kitchen, pressed between the ebony skinned man and the refrigerator - his pants, dangling around his left ankle._
> 
> _“Oh, oh Lucius! Fuck me!” He begs, muscle pulsing around Lucius’ penetrating fingers._
> 
> _“Are you sure you’re ready, Ed?” Lucius asks, like the perfect gentleman that he always is._
> 
> _“Yes, Foxy, I’m sure. More than anything.”_
> 
> _Lucius takes hold of his hot, thick, cock and slowly slides it into Edward’s welcoming hole._
> 
> _“Ah, yes!” Edward screams, satisfied to finally be filled to the max._

Edward suddenly pops his eyes open as his hand is palming at his crotch. “Ughn,” he grunts, body vibrating under his own touch. He looks over at Oswald, but his delusion isn’t there. Only the lifeless doll.

“Oswald?” He mutters. “Oswald, come back. I’m so alone.”

He takes the doll’s hand and slips it under the blanket, slowly rubbing circles over his bulge. “I won’t think about him,” he whispers.

As he touches himself, using the doll’s hand, Edward suddenly hears a soft moan.

_“Mmm… You’re so feisty tonight,” Oswald murmurers, massaging Edward’s package. “Do you think you’re ready for our first time?”_

“Oh yes, I’m ready,” Edward says with a chuckle of relief, feeling solace in Oswald’s returning touch. “I’ve been ready since the night we talked about it.”

_“So have I.”_

Edward rolls on top of the Oswald and kisses him vigorously, pressing his lips so firmly to the doll’s that they blush a vibrant shade of pink. He lifts Oswald right leg around his waist and slowly grinds his hips between the doll’s thighs, creating friction with the fabric against his cock.

“Please, tell me if I do something you don’t like. I don’t want to hurt you, Oswald.”He kisses Oswald’s neck, sucking lightly on the silicone flesh. 

_“Ah….” Oswald moans. “Everything feels so good.” He rolls his hips, brushing his hard shaft against Edward._

Begin a sex doll, Oswald is always hard and ready to play.

Edward’s cock grew thick in his pants as he gifts the love doll with endless kisses. It didn’t take much for it to stand at full attention in response to the alluring sight of Oswald under him.

Fantasies of Lucius try to push to the surface of his thoughts, but he buries them deep. They have no place while he loses his virginity to the man he loves.

_Oswald’s fingernails lightly skim down over Edward’s taut abdomen, causing his muscles to twitch involuntarily._

Edward grazes the doll’s hand down his chest, desperate for that extra touch - coaxing a small bead of lubrication from the head of his cock. “Ah, that feels incredible.”

_A low groan emits from the back of Oswald’s throat as he draws Edward back to his lips._

Kissing the doll’s soft lips, Edward reaches over to the nightstand and opens the top drawer for the bottle of lubrication that was in the bottom of the crate that Oswald was delivered in. He then sits up on his knees between Oswald’s legs and pulls his pajamas pants down around his thighs, freeing his engorged cock from its cotton restraint.    
  
_“Your body is so beautiful Edward. I love it on top of me like this.”_

Edward blushes as he slicks his cock with lube, giving Oswald a little show. “Thank you,” he eventually says.

After coating his cock with a good amount of lube, Edward leans back into the doll and touches his cock against Oswald’s large, stiff silicone member, stroking them together. “Mmm,” he hums, feeling so close already.

 _“I need you inside me, Ed,” Oswald’s voice is breathy, as he scratches his purple painted nails down Edward’s back._  
  
Edward’s spine arches from the phantom touch of his boyfriend.  
  
_“I need you to make love to me so gently, Edward,” Oswald goes on to say. “I need to feel every inch of you throbbing inside me.”_  
  
“You will… I promise.” Edward sits back up on his knees and spreads the doll’s legs wider to expose its perfectly crafted little asshole. He squirts more lube onto his fingers and rubs them over Oswald’s opening, smearing him with lubricant inside and out.

Edward has read the introductions on how to use the doll property - ensuring that his first time using it for sex was safe and pleasurable. 

 _“Oh! It’s cold,” Oswald giggles and his body shivers, not only from the gel but from the gentle stroking of Edward’s fingers._  
  
Edward dips two slender digits inside the doll and scissors them in and out, taking pleasure in watching his fingers easily disappear inside Oswald.

It doesn’t take much, or any effort at all to get the doll ready for sex. This is exactly what it was made for after all.  
  
_“Oh, Eddie. You tease!”_

Edward grins darkly as he removes his fingers from Oswald’s greedy hole, then aligns himself to enter the doll. He kisses Oswald’s sweet watermelon flavored lips as he slides his cock gently inside.  
  
_“Ah…” Oswald moans softly, gripping Edward’s shoulders._

“Are you okay?” Edward asks, holding himself in place.

_“Yes, I’m fine. I just never thought I’d feel so full like this.”_

“Does it hurt?”

_“No. It feels amazing. Please keep going.”_

Edward starts out slowly, thrusting his hips at a steady pace. “Ah… Oh, Oswald,” he breathes.

The silicone grips Edward’s cock tightly, sending jolts down his spine every time he pulls out and slams back inside.

_“Mmm, oh, fuck!” Oswald groans._

As Edward begins to pump his hips and little faster, he imagines Oswald slowly rocking his hips in the same rhythm. “That’s so good, babe,” he whispers in approval as the repeated sensation of friction coaxed more clear fluid from the tip of his cock. His breathing quickened and his balls tensed up between his legs as he thinks about Oswald tightening his muscle around his throbbing girth.

_Oswald’s thighs and ass grew taut as he works Edward’s cock faster. He kisses Edward and parts his lips to playfully flick his tongue inside of Edward’s warm mouth._

Edward grunts as an unfamiliar heat spread deep within his groin, awakening his desires even more. He suddenly grapples onto the headboard of the bed and uses it as leverage to increase the power of his lunges. He knows that his delusion suggested to go slow, but this is Edward’s only outlet to finally let go of years and years of sexual frustration.

The bed shakes as he fucks the doll hard and rough, ramming his cock within that slick little hole again and again. Each hit harder than the one before. He takes his vexations out on the doll. It’s the only thing that can handle it. The only thing that welcomes it.

_“Yes… fuck… Ed… just… like… that!”_

Edward thrusts with all of his vitality and the throbbing at the base of his shaft escalates with the collision of his heavy balls slapping against the doll’s perfect ass. Sweat mist at his brow as the pulsing around his cock starts to become too much to bear.  
  
His toes curl every time he slams into Oswald, digging his nails into the wood of the headboard. His skin turns a bright shade of pink and every inch of his body floods with heat.

“Ungh, ungh,” he grunts, closing his eyes as his balls began to tremble.

He clenches his jaw and jerks his hips again and again before his cock erupts forcefully, expelling thick, gobs of cum into the empty burier of the doll. “F-uck… Fuck!” His body ripples from the intensity of his orgasm.

He holds himself above the love doll, breathing heavily, feeling much lighter than before he started. His mind is clearer than its been in years. He looks down at Oswald and a happy smirk lights upon his face, barely able to move as fatigue takes hold of his spent body. “Did you cum too?” He pants.

_“Can’t you see the droplets on my stomach?”_

Edward looks down at Oswald’s belly. “Of course I do,” he answers. He then let’s go of the headboard and leans into the doll, kissing its lips dotingly.

_“You fuck like a wild beast,” Oswald says between kisses._

“Is that a bad thing for our first time?”

_“Absolutely not,” he chuckles, freckles cheeks burning red with desire. “It was the best thing.”_

“Good.”

Edward pulls his cock out of Oswald, cum dripping out onto the sheet, and lays down next to his dolly-boyfriend. He basks in the afterglow if his release, feeling like a more confident man.

His heart is still beating rapidly as he pulls Oswald closer to snuggle against his naked body. He turns his face to kiss the doll’s cheek, peppering it with kisses, letting his hand wander down to its firm backside. “Thank you, Oswald. I feel so much better after that.”

_“That’s the reason why I’m here, Eddie; to help you feel better.”_


End file.
